To Build a Relationship
by Magma Red
Summary: Should I be working on To Rebuild a Kingdom instead of this? Probably. But here it is anyway. Enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Stupid little AU one-shot. That is all. No relation to To Rebuild a Kingdom. Except for characters. Anyways…ASHER, DISCLAIMER!**

 **Asher: Huh? Oh, uh…Magma does not own Terraria. Any products, movies, shows, etc. referenced also do not belong to Magma. No copywrite is intended.**

* * *

"The Shroud War was not about Shadow Boxing!" Pip scolded, Reginald shrinking down in his desk. He wore the standard uniform, a powder blue, short-sleeved dress shirt, medium blue vest with a golden insignia over the heart, and dark blue pants with black shoes, though his were not shined and in place of a dark blue tie he wore a golden chain with a pendant.

"W-well…then why was it called the Shroud War?" Reginald asked.

"Does anyone know the answer to that?" Pip asked. He wore the teacher uniform, which was exactly the same as the student uniform, though he also wore a red hat atop his head.

Asher eagerly raised his hand, wearing the same uniform, his shoes shined and tie on.

"Asher?" Pip asked.

"It was named that so that it wouldn't be confused with the Shadow War, which was a similar war that took place a millennium before the Shroud War." Asher told him.

"Very good, Asher!" Pip praised, then walking back up the aisle, to the chalk board.

"Teacher's pet." Reginald mumbled, Hannah, who sat behind him, kicking his chair forward so that his gut was forced into the desk, hurting him.

Hannah wore a similar uniform, though over the pants she wore a dark blue skirt that came down to mid-thigh, the standard for women.

"Now then." Pip said, picking up his pointer and pointing to the board. "The Shroud War lasted from…?"

Asher raised his hand.

"Put your hand down, Asher. I know you know the answer." Pip told him good-humoredly, Asher putting his hand down sadly. "Sparkle, do you know?"

"Huh?" Sparkle asked, looking up from her notes. Her uniform differed in that her tie was a dark blue bow instead, and her pants were dark blue shorts, rainbow socks stretching to her knees.

"When did the Shroud Wars take place?" Pip asked her.

"…" She got a panicked look on her face. "Uhm…"

"…Are you doodling again?" Pip sighed.

"Leo's a bad influence!" She said, pointing next to her, where Leo sat, wearing the proper uniform, though he wore his dull red hat.

"Hey! I still take my notes!" He told her.

"Sparkle, you shouldn't blame others for your actions." Pip chided. "One trait of psychopaths is doing just that."

Her tanned skin paled, and she slid down in her seat.

"Now then." Pip said again. "Who, aside from Asher, can tell me when the war took place?"

Sarid raised her hand, wearing the boy's uniform, her true gender unknown to her classmates.

"Sarid?" Pip asked.

"It took place from 234 to 237 in the Settled Years." Sarid told him. "Though Julo only fought in it for two years, since it had yet to reach our boarders and we had not the resources to assist the neighboring countries."

"Very good!" Pip told her.

A bell rang, everyone putting their notebooks away.

"We'll continue the lecture tomorrow." Pip told them. "Have a good day!"

They shuffled out of the room, other classes letting out, Sarid walking down the hallway, leather bag on her back and walking with brisk strides, standing straight, though she was still short. Her next class was chemistry, taught by Merlyn. She ran the notes from the day before through her mind, remembering the formulas and vocabulary.

She heard an _oof_ , making her stop and look back.

Asher was up against the wall, holding his bag to himself, Lance in front of him with his two cronies, Drew and Crew on either side of him.

She rolled her eyes, walking toward them.

"Well, well." Lance said condescendingly. "Look who still struggles with their balance."

"I-I'm not…growing like I was." Asher told him. "I have better balance now."

"Not from what I just saw, giraffe." Lance told him.

"Lance." Sarid said, Lance looking at her. "Just because he's taller than you doesn't give you the right to push him around."

"I'm not pushing!" Lance said innocently. "I saw him trip on his own foot!"

"Right. And Grass is purple." Sarid told him.

"Are you calling me a liar?!"

"Can we skip the part where I thrash you and you just go to the headmaster's office?" Sarid asked, Lance's face flushing red with rage.

"You do not thrash me!"

"Please, you still have a partial black eye from last week." She told him. It was true, too, his right eye still had some yellowed skin around it, very slightly squinted.

"You-!" He swung his right arm, Sarid blocking, and kneeing him in the gut, her arm sliding down his arm and she raised her other arm, grabbing his shoulders and pushing him back onto the ground.

"What's going on here?!"

Sarid looked, seeing Merlyn rushing toward them, wearing the teacher's uniform, a pointed, purple hat with stars on it atop his head.

"It's just Lance and I, Mr. Merlyn." Sarid told him, he stopping.

"Oh." He said plainly. "Drew, Crew, take him to the doctor's office. Sarid, come with me."

Drew and Crew did as they were told, helping Lance up and Sarid walked with Melryn, Asher rushing to catch up with them.

They came to his class room, Esmeralda and Danel already there, sitting at their station and talking. Danel wore the standard uniform, as did Esmeralda, though she just wore the skort version of the skirt.

"What happened this time?" Merlyn asked, leaning against his desk.

"The usual." Sarid told him. "He targeted Asher for his height."

Merlyn sighed, rubbing his face.

"I swear, that boy is nothing but trouble!" He said. "Yesterday it was that Reginald couldn't tie a tie! Last week it was Danel's accent!"

"He's just jealous!" Danel said.

"He just thinks anyone who isn't him is all wrong!" Merlyn said, going around his desk and sitting down.

"Am I in trouble?" Saird asked, Asher getting worried.

"Oh, no." Merlyn told her. "Everyone knows all you do is stick up for whoever he's giving a hard time. He's the one who starts the fights."

"Thank you." Sarid told him.

"Now…just go to your station, I'll handle everything with the headmaster."

"Thank you, Mr. Merlyn." Sarid told him with a polite nod.

She went to her station, Asher following her, as he shared the station with her and Hannah.

"You're always so cool whenever you deal with Lance." Asher told her.

"Thank you." Sarid told him, sitting on one of the stools and storing her bag.

"I mean, you always know just what to say and do, and…man, I wish I knew how to fight like you do." Asher told her.

"I could show you, if you like." Sarid told him.

"R-really?" He asked, looking up at her.

"Yes. Commander Flint and I always spare after school, so if you like, you could join us." _He'll be happy that I finally appear to have made a friend._

"W…the _headmaster?!"_ Asher asked. "You spar with the headmaster?!"

"Yes." Sarid said plainly.

"…" Asher sat in shocked silence.

"Asher!"

They looked up, seeing Hannah rushing into the room.

"Are you okay?!" She asked him.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine." He told her, she hugging him. He hugged her back, Hannah looking up at Sarid.

"Thank you for defending him."

"It's no trouble." Sarid told her. "Lance is just a pathetic person."

"Agreed." She told her, she and Asher separating. The rest of the class trickled in, Merlyn closing the door and going to his desk, getting a stack of papers.

"I hope all of you studied!" He told them, holding up the papers. Reginald groaned, Sparkle tensed and Danel grinned.

Merlyn went around, handing out the tests, Sarid getting hers and looking at the problems.

 _What is the formula for dynamite?_

 _ **C3H5(ONO2)3**_

 _What is the formula for sugar?_

 _ **C12H22O11**_

She finished the test, second to Asher, going up and handing it in. Going back to her seat, she sat down, getting out a notebook and opening it, showing architecture designs. She continued working on one, when she felt something hit the back of her head.

She moved her eyes, then her head, looking behind her to see Lance, who had come in during the test with Drew and Crew, held a straw in his mouth. Drew and Crew were clearly unnerved by how she had moved her head, though Lance merely smirked. She went back to her work, glancing up to see Merlyn sitting at his desk, going through papers and wearing his glasses. A spit-wad hit the back of her head, then again, and a third time, she counting in her head the time between them.

She moved her head suddenly, one flying past her and hitting Merlyn's glasses. He jumped some, looking up and over at the direction it had come from, seeing Lance with the straw in his mouth and his eyes wide.

"LANCE!" He yelled. "Come here!"

Lance scrambled out of his stool and rushed up to him, straw still in his mouth, which Merlyn snatched from him, bending it up and throwing it in the trash. He grabbed Lance by the arm, pulling him out of the room, closing the door behind him.

"…Sooo…anyone know the answer to question 12?" Reginald asked.

"Contrail homogenitus." Asher told him, Reginald writing it down.

Sarid leaned over to Asher.

"Isn't that a type of cloud?" She whispered.

"Shhh…" Asher sounded.

One by one, people finished their tests, going up and handing them in. Merlyn returned, going and sitting down. After a time, the bell rang, Sarid gathering her things and leaving, Asher hurrying to catch up with her.

"H-hey, d'you wanna sit with Hannah and I at lunch?" He asked.

"Are you sure?" Sarid asked.

"Yeah!" He told her.

"…Very well." She told him.

Later…

They sat outside, under a tree on a blanket, eating.

"So, Sarid, what's your favorite subject?" Hannah asked her.

"I like them all." Sarid told her. "Knowledge is power, and the more power I have, the stronger I am."

"Yeah!" Asher told her. "…Well, school is all I'm really good at."

"That's not true!" Hannah scolded. "You won first place in the master archery competition last year!"

"Well, uh, aside from that…" He said, Hannah sighing.

"You're also a good cook." She told him. "You need to give yourself credit for what you're good at, and broaden your horizons."

"…" He sat for a moment. "So, uh…what are you good at, Sarid?"

"I'm rather good at architecture and drawing." She told him. "I've also taken up piano, and I seem to be doing fine in martial arts."

"More like doing excellently." Hannah told her.

"Yeah! You beat up Lance all the time!" Asher agreed.

"Don't let him hear you say that." Sarid told him. He and Hannah laughed, Sarid confused, as she had said nothing humorous.

"Oh!" Asher sounded. "Hannah, Sarid invited me to learn how to fight!"

"That's wonderful!" Hannah said. "Who taught you, Sarid?"

"Commander Flint." Sarid told her.

"The headmaster?" She asked.

"Yes."

"Wow…" She said.

They finished eating, going back to the school building, and going to their math class, Mortimer sitting at his desk, wearing his signature light brown hat with the white feather.

"Afternoon!" He greeted.

"Good afternoon." They three said in unison, sitting in their seats. The rest of the class trickled in, Lance coming in with his cronies, giving Sarid a dark look, though she ignored it. After the bell rang, Mortimer started class, teaching them calculus, until the bell rang and they left. The last class was English, which they sat through until the final bell rang, all of them leaving, some to go home, some to their clubs, but Asher and Sarid went to one of the gyms, mats rolled out on the floor, the headmaster standing off to the side, stretching. He wore a white, sleeveless undershirt and the school uniform pants, his feet bare.

"Commander Flint." Sarid said as they neared, he looking up at them, Asher tensing.

"Ah, Sarid!" He said, going to her and clapping her on the arm. "So glad you're here! And who's this?"

"This is my classmate, Asher." She told him. "Asher, this is the headmaster, Commander Flint."

"Just call me Mr. Flint, son." He told him, extending his arm.

"Y-yes sir." Asher said, shaking his hand.

"Well, I take you're here to join us?" Flint asked.

"Yes sir!" Asher told him. "I-I wanna learn how to fight!"

"Excellent!" Flint told him. "Just get ready and we'll start!"

"Yes sir!" Asher said. "Uhm…how do we get ready?"

"Just do what Sarid's doing." Flint told him. He looked to see Sarid had set her things on the bleachers, and had removed her tie and vest, as well as her shirt to the sleeveless white undershirt she wore. He rushed over and did the same, removing his shoes and socks, walking barefoot across the gym floor, when movement caught his eye. Looking, he saw some faces looking though the gym door windows, which disappeared.

"Uh, there are…people, out there." He said.

"Oh, that's normal." Flint told him. "The young ladies just _love_ watching Sarid show off."

She rolled her eyes, sitting down and bent over with her forehead touching her feet. After they stretched, Flint began an introduction with Asher, having Sarid run through katas. It was obvious that he had taken a shine to Asher, and after club time was over, they finished.

"You did very good today, my boy." Flint told Asher, who laid on the ground gasping for air.

"R…really?" He asked.

"Really." Flint told him, then offering him a hand. Asher took it, and Flint pulled him up, he still a bit disoriented. "Not used to working out?"

"No sir." Asher told him. "The most exercise I get is archery."

"Oh, you'll have to tell me more about that when we warm up tomorrow." He told him.

"T-tomorrow?" Asher asked.

"Yes, we do this everyday after school." Flint told him.

"…Oh." Asher said.

"What do you normally do after school?" Flint asked him.

"I, uh, go to the library…and study."

"Good lad." Flint told him, smiling fondly. "Well, I'd best let you get back home. Take care, now, and I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Y-yes sir!" Asher told him. "You have a good day too!"

He got his things and put his socks and shoes on, then left, carrying the rest of his uniform under his arm with his bag.

"He seems like a nice young man." Flint said.

"He is." Sarid told him, wiping her head with a towel.

They dried themselves with the towels, getting their uniforms back on and going out into the afternoon sun. The trees were turning at the top, telling of the early fall that they were enjoying. A carriage was waiting for them, they boarding it and riding it out away from the school.

"So, how was your day?" Flint asked.

"It was normal." Sarid told him, looking at her history notes.

"You seem to have made a friend." Flint told her.

"It's too early to tell that." Sarid told him.

"…I suppose." He sighed, Sarid inwardly tensing.

"…Forgive me, it's just that I'd rather focus on my studies that anything else." Sarid told him. "I don't intend to…disappoint you, I just…"

"Sarid, I'm not disappointed with you." Flint told her, she looking at him. "I'm proud of you. You're second only to Asher in your class, you're a skilled fighter, you're taking up a new hobby to broaden your horizons…I'm just worried. I don't want you to grow old alone."

"…" Sarid watched him a moment, then looked out the windows, thinking about what he had said.

The next day…

Sarid sat down in her seat in History, everyone else trickling in, Asher coming in, seeing her and smiling.

"Sarid!" He said, going over to her.

"Hello, Asher." She greeted.

"Did ya hear?" He asked. "Lance got suspended!"

"He did?"

"Yeah! Mr. Flint was fed up with him, so he's been suspended for a week!" Asher told him.

"Really?!" Sparkle asked, everyone having listened in.

"Yeah!" Asher told her.

"…CELEBRATORY PARTY AT MY PLACE TONIGHT!" Sparkle said, everyone cheering.

 _It's a good thing it's Friday._ Sarid thought.

"Good morning, class!" Pip said, entering.

"Good morning!" Everyone greeted, in a much brighter mood than before.

"Well, I see all of you have heard the news!" Pip said. "So, let's take that positive energy and put it into doing well today, alright?"

They went through the day as normal, Sparkle making up invitations during class and handing them out at the door, everyone – except Drew and Crew – in the class getting one, Sarid's especially nice.

"Why is mine nicer?" Sarid asked her, Reginald putting an arm around her.

"Because!" He told her. "It's thanks to you that Lance got suspended!"

"Yeah!" Sparkle agreed. "As such, you're the guest of honor!"

"Forgive me, but I'm not much for parties." She told them.

"But you have to come!" Esmeralda told her.

"Yes!" Danel agreed.

"Yeah, we wanna thank you!" Autumn told her. She wore a normal uniform, Xanos, the exchange student standing next to her, he having been another one of Lance's main targets.

"Yeah! Lance is horrible!" Xanos told her.

"…I'll think about it." She told them, which they took as good news.

She thought about it through the day, remembering what Flint had told her yesterday, about his worry for her.

 _I should try to ease his worries._ She thought, walking with him to the carriage, which waited for them outside in the usual spot. They got in and rode to Flint's estate, Sarid going to her room and putting her bag beside her desk. She looked at the invite again, seeing the party lasted from six to midnight.

 _I doubt I'll stay the whole time._ She thought, putting it away and going to her wardrobe. Opening it, she looked over her clothes, wondering what was appropriate to wear to such an event.

 _The invite said casual, but…what is casual?_

She looked at her clothes a bit longer, then looked up at her clock. Closing the wardrobe, she left her room and went down to the dining room, sitting at the table to the left of Commander Flint, who was reading the evening news.

"Still in your uniform?" He asked, he having changed into civilian clothes.

"I…don't know what to wear."

"You've never concerned yourself with that before." Flint told her, surprised.

"I…was invited to a…party."

"Really!" Flint said happily.

"Yes sir." Sarid told him.

"Well, did the invite specify what kind of clothing to wear?" He asked.

"Casual." Sarid told him.

"Well, then after supper why don't we have Mrs. Lee help you pick something out?"

"Yes sir, thank you." Sarid told him. Supper was served and they ate, Sarid returning to her room to find Mrs. Lee waiting outside of it.

"Good evening, Master Sarid." She told her. "Are you excited about the party?"

"Not really." Sarid told her, they going into her room. "I'm mainly going to ease the commander's worries."

"Oh…" She sounded sadly. "Well, either way, I hope you have an excellent time!"

"Hm." Sarid hummed.

"Now, the dress is casual, yea?"

"Yes ma'am." Sarid told her.

"Well, let's get something simple then." She said, opening Sarid's wardrobe. "Hm, not that, no not your suit, no, hm…no…Ah!"

She pulled out a pair of medium blue jeans, and then a navy crew-neck t-shirt. She laid them on the bed, then went and got two black leather bands from the shelf above the clothes, getting Sarid's black combat boots as well.

"How about this?" She asked.

"…Very well." Sarid said, taking the shirt off the hanger.

Later…

Sarid stepped down out of the carriage, wearing the clothes and the bands on her wrists, a small bag attached to her belt, containing a few items. A sigh escaped her, looking up at the mansion Sparkle resided in with her parents, then upped the steps and came to the door, knocking on it.

A butler opened the door, a very professional look on his face.

"Ah, you must be Master Sarid that Miss Sparkle spoke of." He said.

"That's correct, sir." Sarid nodded.

"Very good. I shall show you to the pavilion where the party is occurring."

"Thank you, sir." Sarid told him.

He turned and Sarid followed him through the mansion, to the back patio, around the pool and down a path, to the pavilion where music was playing and the guests danced.

"Enjoy yourself, sir." The butler told her.

"Thank you." Sarid told him, approaching the pavilion. There was a table with food and a punch bowl and string lights strung this way and that. _I could probably run back to Commander Flint's estate._

Nevertheless, she approached.

"Sarid!" Sparkle exclaimed, seeing her she wore a light pink, short sleeved shirt, magenta denim vest, magenta skirt, beaded bracelets of all colors, and her signature rainbow socks and magenta sneakers. "Welcome to the PARTAY!"

"You mean party?" Sarid asked. Sparkled ignored this, putting a silver-colored crown on Sarid's head.

"The guest of honor has arrived!" Sparkle announced. People cheered, crowding around her. They welcomed her, pulling her out onto the dance floor, where people danced around her, Sarid feeling stiff and awkward among the dancers.

"Sarid!" She looked, seeing Asher dancing beside her. He wore an off-white v-neck shirt and a green, hooded vest, jeans on his legs and brown shoes. "I'm glad you're here!"

"Thank you." Sarid told him.

"Well, come on and dance!" He told her.

"I can't dance." She told him.

"You can't?" He asked, stopping.

"Well, I know the waltz, but the Commander said that any gentleman should know how to dance the waltz."

"Oh…well, uh…how do I explain this?" He asked, thinking.

"Just go with the flow!" Reginald said, having overheard their conversation. He wore his gold chain and medallion, dark red shirt, grey collared vest that came to mid-thigh and jeans, black shoes on his feet.

"…Right." Sarid said, then looking around.

She saw Hannah, who wore a green, sleeveless dress with a brown belt around her waist, a white mock turtle neck under the dress. On her feet were green flats, showing she wore no socks.

As well, there was Leo, wearing white collared shirt over a red tank top, the front of his white shirt unbuttoned, jeans covering his legs, brown shoes on his feet and his signature hat on his head. Danel danced beside him, wearing his gold and purple bracelets, his hair held back by a golden ornament, he wore a rich blue vest with a purple tank top under it, dark blue jeans on his legs and red sneakers on his feet.

"I love parties!" He declared. "So many beautiful colors and happy people!"

Sarid looked around again, seeing Esmeralda wearing a purple dress with blue skinny jeans under, black heels on her feet. The rest of the class was dressed casually, Sarid standing among them as they danced, not sure how to dance.

"Look man," Reginald said, dancing over to her, "just take in the music and move to it!"

"…" Sarid stared at him, then thought back to her martial arts moves, wondering if those would pass.

She jumped, landing in a front stance, doing an upper and down block at the same time, spinning and holding her arms up and out, then dropped into a horse stance. As she did this, they rest of the class danced around her, and she began to feel a light inside of her, her lips twitching up into a smile.

Asher suddenly ran into her, and she caught him, pulling him up in a way that they spun, Asher grabbing her hands to keep from falling over, his legs not stopping so that they kept spinning. They slowed for a moment, then Asher laughed and kept the spinning going, Sarid surprised, though she found his laughter contagious and smiled, spinning with him. A new song started to play, singing:

 _"What is love if it's not with you?_

 _"I know when you're alone you feel it too!"_

Sarid looked up, seeing Asher's smiling face with the lights spinning around them, and she smiled, she and Asher spinning away from the crowd onto the grass, where his hand slipped out of hers and they fell to the ground, she still holding onto one of his hands, and he still laughing.

They lay on the grass for a bit, Asher calming a bit.

"Oh man…No Lance for a _WEEK!_ Oh, this is gonna be great." He said.

"Agreed." Sarid said. "My fists will finally have some rest."

He laughed.

"What's so amusing?" She asked him.

"What you said." He told her. "Especially how you always beat him up."

"…I do, don't I?" She asked, looking up at the sky.

"Yeah…uh, thanks for that, by the way." He told her, looking at her. "If it weren't for you, I don't know if any of us could stand school."

"Evil is only allowed to persist so long as good people do nothing." Sarid told him.

"Yep." He agreed. "But man, I mean…you're just so _cool_ about it though! Like…you know just how to rile him up and you can beat him even though he's bigger than you, and…"

He sighed.

"You're not scared of him."

"You are?" Sarid asked.

"…Yes." He admitted. "I mean…he has some ideas on how to fight, and I…don't."

Sarid watched him, then looked back at the sky, squeezing his hand.

"One day you won't fear him." Sarid told him.

"Really?" He asked, looking at her, making her look at him.

"Yes." She told him. "Lance is merely looking for power and influence anyway he can, even the wrong ways. He wants to be feared by any means possible, and is a manchild about it."

"…When you put it like that, he sounds kinda pathetic."

"Oh, but he is." Sarid told him. This amused him, and he looked back at the sky.

"Oh!" He sat up, looking at Sarid. "D'you wanna come over to my house tomorrow night and stargaze? I just got a new telescope and I'd like to try it out and tomorrow's gonna be perfect for stargazing!"

"..." _I should ease Commander Flint's worries._ "Very well."

"Great!" He said. "C'mon, let's get back to the party."

"Very well." Sarid said, getting up and releasing his hand.

Later…

Sarid stepped down out of the carriage, tired from the party, though she felt strangely good. The valet drove on to put away the carriage and horse, Sarid entering the estate building, seeing Commander Flint sitting in the foyer chair, reading a book and dressed for bed, his robe on. He looked up at her, a smile appearing on his face.

"Ah, Sarid!" He said. "How was the party?"

"It was nice." She told him.

"Did you dance at all?"

"I more did some martial arts motions, but yes sir, I did."

"That's great!" He said. "Did you make any friends?"

"Uh, well…" She shifted awkwardly some. "Asher, he uh…invited me to his home to do some stargazing tomorrow night."

"And?"

"I accepted."

"Excellent!" He praised. "He's a fine young man, isn't he?"

"…Yeees…?" Sarid asked.

"Well, it's late and we'd best turning for the night. Sleep well!"

"Yes sir, you too." She told him.

The next day…

Sarid opened the door to the estate, panting and sweating, having just come from her morning run. She went to her room, getting a towel and wiping her face, then went into the bathroom and laid down on the cold marble floor, goosebumps rolling over her skin, though it felt good anyway. Lifting her arm, she looked at the hand that had held Asher's last night, wondering why it felt like it tingled.

 _It's been doing that ever since last night._ She thought, turning her hand over. _Especially when I think about it._

She let her arm rest back on the floor, then closed her eyes and relaxed, breathing evenly, absorbing the coldness of the floor.

A knock sounded, her eyes opening.

She got up, going to her door and opening it, seeing Mr. Lee.

"Mr. Lee." She said.

"There's a phone call for you, Master Sarid." He told her.

"Yes sir, thank you." She told him, stepping out of her room and closing the door. She followed him down the hall to where a phone sat on a small table, the receiver laying next to the base of the transmitter.

"It's a Mr. Asher."

"Oh…thank you." She told him, her hand tingling again. Mr. Lee nodded, then walked on down the hallway. Sarid picked up the receiver and transmitter, holding the receiver to her ear and the transmitter to her mouth.

"Hello?" She asked.

"Sarid!" Asher exclaimed on the other end. "I was just wondering when you'd wanna come over. Like, uh, d'you wanna have supper with us, or something like that?"

"…" She thought for a moment. "I'll speak with the commander. Please wait a moment."

"Alright!" He said. Sarid set the phone down and went to Flint's room, knocking on the door.

"Come in!" He called, Sarid opening the door. A maid was making the bed, Flint standing by one of the French doors, holding a set of weights over his head. He smiled at her, then lowered the weights to his chest, then set them down on the padded floor, stepping over it and walking to her.

"Enjoy your run?" He asked.

"Yes sir." She told him.

"Good, good…Burns make you a filling breakfast before you go?"

"Yes sir." Sarid told him.

"Good, good…now, what can I do for you?"

"Would it be alright if I joined Asher for supper tonight?"

"But of course!" He told her.

"Thank you." She told him.

"He's a fine young man, isn't he?" Flint asked her.

"…Yes sir, he is…" Sarid told him with slight confusion. She heard the maid giggle, glancing over at her to see her suppressing a smile.

This confused her, but she left, closing the door and went back to the phone, picking it up again.

"Asher?" She asked.

"Yes!" He said.

"The commander said I could come for supper."

"That's great!" He said. "I'll see you tonight, then!"

"Very well. Enjoy your day."

"You too!" He told her. She hung up, going back down the hallway to her room, going into it, her hand tingling.

Later…

Sarid stepped down the porch of the estate, going to the carriage waiting for her, Commander Flint standing beside it with a smile.

"Have a good time, Sarid." He told her.

"Yes sir." She told him, adjusting the book under her arm. Stepping up into the carriage, she pulled the door shut behind her, looking at Flint through the window, to see he was smiling fondly at her.

 _What's he smiling like that for?_

The carriage started away, Sarid looking over the estate's lake that had a beautiful sunset coloring it, the sun throwing it's last rays of light over the distant mountains. She arrived at Asher's home after sunset, the western horizon still having a burning orange edge, though the sky overhead was dark with stars appearing. Stepping down out of the carriage, she heard a door open and she looked up to see Asher coming down the front steps.

"Sarid!" He said, running up to her and hugging her, much to her surprise. He stepped back then, hands on her shoulders. "I'm glad you're here! C'mon, supper's almost ready."

"Very well." Sarid said, following him up the steps and into the mansion. He showed her to the dining room, which was well-decorated and elegant, a swing door going into the kitchen. Hannah sat to the right of the table's head, Asher sitting to the left with Sarid beside him. At the head was someone reading the evening news, they lowering the paper to show the school's doctor.

"Dr. Washington?" Sarid asked.

"Hello, sonny." He told her with a smile. "Glad to have you here."

"Thank you for having me." Sarid told him.

"What's that book you've got there?"

"Oh, it's on the constellations."

"Ah, good!" He said. "I'm glad to see Asher's made a new friend."

"Uncle." Asher said, somewhat embarrassed.

"What? I'm allowed to be happy for you!" He told him.

Supper was served then, they talking over it. Dessert was served after, and after that Asher took eagerly showed her up the stairs to his room, which was packed with books.

"You really like to read." Sarid noted.

"Oh yeah!" He told her, then getting sheepish. "It…it's all I'm really good at.

"Hannah said you do well at archery and cooking."

"Well, yeah…" He said, holding one of his books to him. "Anyways! Let's go look at the stars!" He told her, rushing over to the one of his bookshelves and grabbing a couple books and then rushing past her, grabbing her wrist and pulling her out of the room. They went up another set of stairs, and down a hall, up more stairs and into a room.

It had a star globe with the constellations on it, beside a desk and a window on each wall, a telescope at the eastern window. There were star charts all over the walls, a bookshelf with books on planets, astronomers and all sort of books on astronomy and astrophysics.

Asher went to the desk and set his books down, opening them up. Sarid went to his side, he flipping through the books until he found the page that he had been looking for, Sarid setting her book down on the desk. Asher went to the light switch and turned it off, leaving them in the dark, then going to the desk and turning on a lamp, light pouring over the books and casting heavy shadows. Sarid walked over to the telescope, looking at it.

"This is a rather impressive scope." She told him.

"Oh yeah!" He told her. "Uncle got it for me for making a hundred on the last history test!"

"Just for that?" Sarid asked.

"Where do you think I got all my books?" Asher asked her.

"…Oh." She went.

"So there should be a constellation visible already." He told her, going to the telescope and maneuvering it so that it was in position.

She watched him, the smile on his face and the moonlight reflecting off his hair.

She shook her head, snapping out of it.

"Here it is!" He exclaimed, then looking up from the telescope and looking at her. "Here, look!"

He stepped out of the way, Sarid stepping into place and looking through the telescope. Before her were a pattern of stars, making the arachnid constellation.

"Ah, the arachnid." Sarid said.

"Yeah." Asher told her. "Oh! There's another one, let me show you."

She suddenly felt him around her, she looking up to see that his chest was to her back, arms around her to reach the telescope.

 _I have conflicting feelings about this._

Part of her felt a light in her, while another part of her was screaming in what felt like panic.

"Can you see it?" Asher asked. She looked through the telescope, seeing the constellation that looked like two people dancing.

"The lovers." She said.

"Yep!" He replied, his hand on her shoulders. "That one's actually my favorite."

"Really?" Sarid asked, looking back at him.

"Yeah…" He said, staring out the window. "Can you imagine getting to dance with the one you love for an eternity?"

"…" Sarid watched him, recalling the story of the constellation, of how two people loved each other so much that after their deaths, the very stars arranged in their images so that their love could live on forever.

She looked back at the telescope.

"Yes, it is touching, I suppose." Sarid told him.

"I hope I can find someone like that one day." He told her.

"…" Sarid was quiet, an image of her and him dancing passing through her mind, through she shook her head, getting rid of it. _None of that nonsense._

They kept stargazing, until a cloud covered the sky at an alarming pace.

"Is that a storm?" Asher asked, Sarid looking out at it, when rain came pelting against the windows.

"Yes." Sarid told him.

"Aw…" He sounded, they then hearing someone coming up the stairs. They looked, seeing Dr. Washington standing on the last few stairs.

"Is it raining?" He asked.

"It's pouring." Sarid told him.

"But is the old man snoring?" Asher asked. Washington laughed, Sarid's lips twitching up.

"Ah…well, I don't want you going home in this weather, so you and the valet are staying here tonight." Washington told Sarid.

"Yes sir." Sarid told him.

"Well, come on. I'll call Flint and tell him." He told her. "Asher, could you show Sarid to the guest room?"

"He can stay with me." Asher told him.

"Uh, well…" He said.

"I saw that he had a sofa in his room, I can sleep on that." Sarid said.

"Oh, uh…" Asher sounded, Washington smiling.

"If that's what you want to do, that's fine." He told her. "Come on, let's find you some pajamas."

Later…

Sarid laid on the sofa in Asher's room, staring into the dark while rain pelted down on the roofs and outer wall.

"If you get uncomfortable, you can come get in my bed." Asher suddenly said.

"I'm fine, thank you though." Sarid told him.

"Okay." Asher said.

While the bed was certainly big enough for both of them to not have to touch, and Sarid knew Asher was oblivious to her true gender and that he was not that type of person, the idea just didn't sit right with her due to her gender.

Asher suddenly made a loud snoring noise, followed by a series of "mememe…"

Sarid contained a laugh, listening to him continue to do so.

When he paused for a breath, she made a loud snoring sound as well, followed by making a "haaaahn…" noise.

Asher laughed in the dark, listing to her for a bit, then making up another outlandish snoring sound. She did the same, and they went back and forth until they both fell asleep.

She woke up to see light streaming through the French doors, Asher still asleep in his bed, and she got up, going into the bathroom and changing, though leaving her shirt off to show her undershirt, then slipped out of the room and house to go for her morning run. When she got back, the house was still asleep, much to her surprise. Nevertheless, she went into the bathroom and laid down on the floor, soaking up the coldness of it to help her to cool off. After a bit she heard a shuffling, sitting up to see Asher getting out of bed and walking sleepily over to the bathroom, when he saw Sarid on the floor.

"…" He looked at her, half-asleep and half confused.

"I got up and went running this morning." She told him. He nodded some, then yawned, running his hands through his messy hair.

"Why though?" He suddenly asked, as if he had just processed the information.

"To exercise." She told him. He nodded, and she got up and stepped out of the bathroom, allowing him to step into it and close the door.

Later…

Sarid entered the mansion, Flint sitting in the foyer chair and reading the morning news, looking up at her when he entered.

"Sarid! Welcome home!" He said.

"Hello, commander." She said.

"How was it? Did you have fun?" He asked.

"Yes sir." She told him.

"That's good." He told her. "He's a fine young man, isn't he?"

"…As previously established, yes." Sarid said, confused. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to study for a history test tomorrow."

She went to her room, closing the door behind her, thinking of Asher and her hand and back tingled.

 _Great. Now it's worse, whatever this is._

The next day…

Sarid stretched in her seat, having just finished her test, then got up and handed it in, going back to her seat and sitting down. She pulled out her architecture notebook and began working on her next project, doing it from a bird's eye view three-point perspective. She worked for a time, when the bell rang, she putting her notebook away. Getting her bag she started toward the door, seeing Asher waiting for her.

"So, did you enjoy Saturday?" He asked her.

"Yes, I did." She told him.

"That's great!" He said. "If you like, we can do it again sometime."

"That sounds nice." She told him.

They arrived at chemistry, going to their station where Hannah was already sitting. The rest of the class trickled in, everyone sitting in their seats, Merlyn striding in with a smile on his face.

"Good morning, class!" He greeted. "It's a wonderful day, isn't it?"

"Yes sir!" The class agreed.

 _I should get Lance suspended more often._ Sarid thought, seeing her smiling classmates.

"Now, I want all of you to group up with another station for today." Merlyn told them. "We're doing an experiment!"

"Hey!" Autumn said, Sarid, Asher and Hannah turning around to look at her. "You guys wanna partner with us?"

"Is that alright with you two?" Hannah asked them.

"Yes." Sarid said.

"Yep!" Asher said.

They pulled their stools to their station, getting set up for the experiment. Along with Autumn was Xanos and Faye, her long green hair braided and a pink flower pin on her tie.

Merlyn passed out the instructions with the materials, everyone getting to work pouring, measuring, weighing, and the like.

"So, did you guys enjoy the party Friday night?" Autumn asked.

"Yeah!" Asher said. "It was great!"

"I had a good time." Hannah agreed. "It was a great way to kick off a week with no Lance."

"No Lance for a week!" Xanos said, excited. "I don't have to put up with him treating me like an armrest or footstool for a week!"

"Next time he does that, come tell me and I'll set him straight." Sarid told him.

"Thank you!" He told her.

"Uh, Faye?" Hannah asked. "Are you sure this is right?"

"Uh…admittedly? I'm more into botany than chemistry."

"Oh…well…" Hannah said, Asher pouring tow of the components together. "Wait, this makes…"

Her eyes went wide.

 _"GET DOWN!"_ She yelled, Sarid seeing the beaker start to fizz and she grabbed Asher, throwing him to the ground, and jumping on top of him to shield him as the compound within the beaker exploded, the beaker falling over into the floor and shattering.

"Everybody stay back!" Merlyn said, rushing over and looking at the scene. "…Okay, it should be over. Get up carefully and watch for the glass shards."

Sarid started to push herself up, then becoming aware of the fact that Asher had hugged her in his panic.

It felt nice.

His arms around her, able to feel his heart beating, inhaling his scent…

She then threw herself back, landing on her back, staring up at the ceiling.

"Sarid?" Asher asked.

She raised her head to look at him, seeing he was doing the same.

"…Are you okay?" She asked him.

"Yes. Are you?" He asked.

"Yes." She told him.

"Okay." Asher said.

They got up, Sarid not able to look at him.

 _What was that?_ She wondered.

"Alright, let's get this cleaned up and get back to class." Merlyn said. They did so, careful with the shards and using cleaner to get up the residue from the compound that had exploded.

Class carried on, everyone finishing the lab and cleaning up, the bell ringing and everyone walking out to go to lunch.

"Wanna eat with us again?" Asher asked Sarid.

"Very well." Sarid told him, walking with him to the tree where Hannah sat on the blanket. They sat down and began to eat, talking as they did.

"Thanks for pulling me out of the way of the explosion earlier." Asher told her. The memory of his arms around her came to mind, and she felt strange.

"Don't mention it." She told him.

"I vote we be more careful with Faye and chemicals." Hannah said.

"Agreed." Sarid told her.

"Hear hear!" Asher said.

"I HEARD THAT!" Faye yelled through the trees.

Hannah and Asher laughed, Sarid smiling. They spoke more as they ate, then getting up and going back to the school building, going through the rest of the day. After English, Asher and Sarid went to the gym where Flint was waiting for them.

"Hello!" He greeted.

"Hello!" Asher greeted back.

"Well, let's get to it, shall we?" Flint asked as they got ready. They started stretching, Flint and Asher carrying on a conversation about archery. After they stretched, Flint and Asher sparred as Sarid worked with a bo staff. After that Flint had Asher take up one and ran through drills with them, until it was time to go. They then went their separate ways, Sarid and Flint going and getting into their carriage.

"Well, how was your day?" Flint asked.

"It was fine." Sarid told him.

"Merlyn told me about what happened in the lab." Flint told her. "And how you jumped on Asher to protect him."

"…" Sarid stared forward. "…May I tell you something?"

"Of course."

"…I…I enjoyed being so close to him."

He blinked with surprise.

"I…as well…at the party. I held his hand at one point and…whenever I think about it, my hand tingles."

"…Well." Flint told her. "You don't have feelings for him, do you?"

"What? No!" She said. "I…at least I don't think I do…which would be wrong, I barely know him…"

"Hm." Flint hummed. "Well, you're not a very…you don't touch or have expressed any desire to be touched. It could just be your reaction to suddenly having physical contact."

"…That…makes sense." She said.

"Good." Flint told her.

They rode in silence the rest of the way, Sarid looking out the window, deep in thought.

* * *

 **AN - I lied. Apparently this is going to be its own little story. WHELP.**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN – And here we are. Chapter 2.**

* * *

Sarid walked down the hallway, looking through her architecture notebook, making notes where she needed to work on something.

"Sarid!"

She stopped, looking back and seeing Asher.

"Asher." She said, turning toward him. "Good morning."

"Morning!" He said. "Have you had a good week?"

"Yes, I have." She told him.

"Yeah…by the way, what's that notebook?"

"Oh, just some architecture designs." She told him.

"Could I see some please?" He asked.

"Very well." Sarid said, holding out the notebook. He looked over the page, a look of amazement on his face.

"Neat!" He told her.

"Thank you. It's something I enjoy."

"That's good. It looks really good, too."

"Thank you."

They walked to their first class, going into the room only to be greeted by and angry Lance.

"Lance?!" Asher exclaims. "I thought you were suspended!"

"Yesterday was a week!" He told him. "But you!"

He pointed at Sarid, anger in his eyes.

"You _will_ pay for what you did!"

"And what did I do?" She asked.

"You got me suspended!"

"That was your doing."

"No, it was _your_ fault and I will get my revenge!"

"I look forward to seeing you try." Sarid told him.

" _YOU-!"_ He reached out to try and grab her, Sarid raising her arms inside of his and forcing them out, then front kicked him in the stomach, sending him stumbling back.

"That's enough!" Pip said, Asher and Sarid looking over at him. "All of you, to your seats."

"Yes sir." Asher and Sarid told him, going to their seats. They sat and Lance recovered, going to his seat as he shot a glare at Sarid, who ignored him. The day went on as normal, until lunch time.

Sarid was walking over to where she would eat with Hannah and Asher, when something pulled on her vest.

She looked back, seeing it was one of the girls that regularly watched her sessions with Flint.

Her hair was wavy and dark brown, coming to her shoulder blades, and she had a blue ribbon tied around her head that came together in a small bow on the top of her head, and bangs that stopped above her eyebrows.

"…Yes?" Sarid asked, she looking up at her, allowing Sarid to see her eyes were a sky blue.

"…Uhm…Sarid?" She asked.

"Yes?" Sarid asked, then turning toward her. "What can I do for you?"

"Uhm…" She said, pulling her hand back and lacing her fingers together. "I-I was wondering…if…you…would you…go with me…"

She took a deep breath.

"Will you go with me to the homecoming dance?" She asked.

It took Sarid by surprise.

 _…What on earth am I supposed to say to that?_ She wondered. _If I said yes and word got out I'm a girl it could taint both our reputations, but if I say yes, it'd help solidify the idea I'm a boy, but I honestly don't even want to go to the dance…_

"…No." Sarid told her. Her face fell and Sarid went back to walking, and she heard rapid footsteps going away, and she looked back to see the girl was gone. _Hm. She must of had somewhere she needed to be._

She arrived at the usual spot, seeing Faye, Autumn and Xanos had joined them.

"Hello." She greeted.

"Hey Sarid!" Asher greeted back, Sarid sitting down with them.

"I hope you don't mind the extra company." Hannah told her.

"Not at all." Sarid told her.

"So, and ideas on how to get Lance out of here again?" Faye asked.

"If he starts another fight, I'll just defeat him again."

"You make it sound so easy…" Xanos sighs.

"Well, I've trained to know how to fight for years." Sarid told him. "Lance hasn't the foggiest idea on how to fight properly."

"Huh…" Xanos sounded.

They spoke over lunch, then went back toward the building together.

"Excuse me." They stopped and looked back, seeing a girl.

Her hair was brown and pulled back in a bun, her eyes dark blue and skin fair.

"I was wondering if I could speak to Sarid alone."

"Sarid?" Asher asked.

"Go on. I'll be along in a little bit." Sarid told them. They went on, Sarid looking back at the girl. "What can I do for you?"

"You can go to the Homecoming Dance with me." She said with a smile.

"No." Sarid told her, then turning and walking off.

"What?!" She exclaimed. "What do you mean no?!"

"I'm not interested." Sarid said, then walking around a corner.

Later…

Sarid left English, stretching her arms over her head.

 _Another week over._ She thought.

"Hey Sarid!" Asher called, she looking to see him walking out of the classroom. "Some of the others and I were going to go get pizza together after club time today. You wanna come along?"

 _I should ease Commander Flint's worries._ "Yes, thank you."

"Great!" He said, both of them walking toward the gym where they met with Flint.

"Good afternoon lads!" He greeted.

"Hello Mr. Flint!" Asher told him.

"Commander." Sarid said.

"How do you two feel about grappling today?"

"Grappling?" Asher asked.

"It's essentially wrestling." Sarid told him.

"Oh!" He sounded. "Okay! Sounds fun!"

"It is!" Flint told him. "Now, you two get ready and square up!"

 _Oh no._ Sarid thought. They went to the bleachers and took off their vests, ties and shirts, taking off their shoes and socks as well, then going over to the mats. Sarid got down on her knees, Asher doing the same arm's length across from her.

"Alright, get ready…" Flint said. "And…go!"

Sarid pushed off the balls of her feet and tackled Asher, quickly pinning him. He laid under her with a dazed look, blinking rapidly.

"Alright. Again." Flint said, they setting back up for another round. "Go!"

Sarid did the same move as before, Asher rolling out of the way this time. Sarid turned her attack into a roll, coming up on the balls of her feet, Asher getting up on his feet as well. Sarid swatted at him, catching him on the arm, which she pulled, he pulling back against her. She pulled harder and he pulled back harder, and she suddenly released him, making him fall back. She jumped on him then, and pinned him again.

They kept grappling, until it was time to go, and they dried themselves with towels, cooling off.

"Well, we'll see you Monday, Asher?" Flint asked him.

"Yes sir." Asher nodded.

"Good, good…"

"Commander." Sarid said.

"Yes?" He asked.

"I was invited by Asher to join him and some of the other student for pizza after club time. Is it alright if I join them?" She asked.

"Of course!" Flint told her, smiling fondly. "Have a good time, and I'll see you back at the estate."

"Yes sir." Sarid told him.

She put on her shirt, tie, vest, sock and shoes, grabbed her bag and walked out with Asher, going by the lockers at the school's main entrance, Asher switching his school shoes for his regular shoes. Sarid looked at hers, which was right by his, seeing the corner of a white object sticking from it.

 _Hm?_ She wondered, reaching out and tugging at it, though it wouldn't come out. She put in the combination and opened the locker.

Papers poured out of it.

"What the…?" She asked, Asher looking at the pile as well. The other students there, Hannah, Xanos and Autumn, walked over, looking at the pile. Sarid bent down and picked one up, unfolding it and reading the cursive on it.

 _You come to me in my dreams,_

 _Your eyes like blue streams._

 _Your physique is impressive,_

 _But don't think I'm obsessive._

 _I just want you to hold me,_

 _For you to take a look and see_

 _How great we could be._

"…What on earth _IS_ this?" Sarid asked, Hannah looking over her shoulder at the paper.

"It's…a love letter." Hannah told her.

"Do what?!" Reginald asked, appearing around the corner of the lockers.

"But it's a bad one, let me tell you." Hannah said. Reginald strode over and picked one up, looking over it.

"Yeesh, you're right." He said. "This one's…mushy."

"Is there any chocolate in there?" Autumn asked. Sarid bent down and pushed the letters around, seeing none.

"I'm afraid not." Sarid told her.

"Aw…" Autumn went.

"Wow, a lotta girls must really like you." Asher said, squatting down and helping Sarid sort through them.

"What's your secret?" Reginald asked.

"I don't have one." Sarid told him honestly. "I'm just…me."

"I wish I was you." He told her, she and Asher having picked up all the letters. Sarid walked over to the trash can, dumping them into it.

"Whoa, what're you doing?!" Autumn asked.

"I'm properly disposing of them." Sarid told her.

"You shouldn't throw them away!"

"Why not? I don't need or want them." Sarid told her.

Autumn thought for a moment.

"W…what about the girls who wrote them?" Xanos asked.

"I've no interest in preserving the feelings of those who are so blind that they expect me to bend to their desires instead of accepting the idea that I may not want such affections." Sarid told him.

"He's got a point." Hannah said. "Just because someone likes him doesn't mean he's obliged to return the feeling."

"…Good point." Autumn said, Asher going over to the trash can and dumping the letters he had.

"Now, who wants pizza?!" He asked excitedly.

Later…

They sat at a round booth, Faye, Sparkle, Esmeralda, Danel and Leo with them. They had three large pizzas on the table, each of them eating what they wanted.

"And then I said, 'well at least I'm still and adventurer'!" Esmeralda said, everyone laughing while Sarid just smiled.

"Ah, that never gets old." Hannah laughed.

"I'll say!" Leo laughed.

"Hey Sarid, you got any jokes?" Danel asked.

"Yeah, you've been quiet." Reginald said.

"…" Sarid thought for a moment, racking her mind for any humorous banter or small talk that she had read of or heard exchanged, when something came to mind.

"Alright," she started, "so before coming to the school, I went to a different one where I had a roommate name Joseph, who was an absolute klutz. I didn't know too much about him, where he came from, what his favorite food was, or anything of the like. I was actually interested in a girl who went to the school, and I planned on asking her for her hand, but right before I could, Joseph came bursting in and hit his head on the coffee table, injuring his eye."

They all cringed at the thought.

"Exactly." Sarid said. "Anyway, we took him to the doctor and they were able to help him, but he had to wear a soft patch of cotton over his eye for some time. My love was always a caring sort, and she would come to check up on him every now and again, but they started to become more and more frequent, and they got rather close, until one day I came back to the room and found a note from Joseph, saying that they were running away together.

"So the long story short is: if it hadn't been for cotton eye'd Joe, I'd been married a long time ago, where did you come from where did you go, where did you come from cotton eye'd Joe?"

There was mixture of groans and laughing in response to this.

"Where'd you get that, that's good!" Asher told her.

"I overheard it in a conversation Commander Flint was having with someone." She told him.

"So none of that was true about you?" Sparkle asked.

"Oh, no." Sarid told her. "I was homeschooled before coming to the academy."

"Ah…" She went.

"Here's another pizza!" The waiter said, arriving with another.

"Oh, uh, we didn't order another one." Hannah told him.

"Oh, no, this is for the blond gentleman, courtesy of the young lady over there." The waiter told them, pointing over at a girl who sat with some others, her black hair coming to her jaw, her eyes sharp and green and wearing the school uniform.

"Take it to her, I don't want it." Sarid told him. _I don't need too much junk food._

"…Uh…v-very well, sir." The waiter said, walking off.

"Ouch." Reginald said.

"It's like what was said before, I am not obliged to return anyone's feelings." Sarid told him.

"True." He said.

"WHAT?!" They heard a girl yell, looking over at the girl who had sent the pizza over.

"I'd best run." Sarid said, pulling out some money. "Here's my contribution, I'll see you all at school."

"See ya!" Sparkle said, they bidding her goodbye as she rushed out.

She walked back to the estate, arriving at sundown, entering the foyer, seeing Flint sitting in the foyer chair, reading the evening newspaper. He looked up as she entered, he setting it aside.

"Hello, Commander." Sarid said.

"Sarid." He said. "Did you have a good time?"

"Yes sir." She told him.

"Good, but there's something I need to talk to you about." He told her.

"Yes sir?"

"Today, a girl asked you to the homecoming dance next month."

"…How did you…?"

"I found the poor girl crying on a bench outside the lounge." He told her.

"Oh." Sarid said plainly.

"Sarid…" He said, then sighing. "She told me what happen, how you just told her 'no' and then kept walking and…"

"…Are you angry with me?" Sarid asked, worried.

"No, I'm just disappointed." He told her.

 _That's even worse._

"Sarid, I know you're not a sapphic, or even interested in romance, but you can't just do that! You need to be gentle in your words when it comes to that."

"But I shouldn't need to be careful if they haven't even considered the idea that I could say no." Sarid told him.

"Sarid, that's not the point." He told her. "When she asked you, she was terrified you'd say just what you did!"

"…" Sarid blinked.

"I want you to apologize to her."

"Yes sir." Sarid told him.

"Good." He said. "And be gentle about it."

"…How do I…be gentle?"

"Tell her you're sorry for the way you spoke to her and that you walked away from her how you did, and tell her as for her request, no thank you, but encourage her to find someone who does truly care for her."

"Yes sir."

"Very good."

"…What was her name?" Sarid asked.

"Victoria Hogan." Flint told her.

"Yes sir, thank you." She told him, then going to her room. She changed out of her uniform, into her casual clothes and put on her coat, which was blue with black on the shoulders. She went down then to the stables and got the carriage horse, a chestnut stallion, and saddled it, then put on her riding helmet and got onto it.

She rode out of the stable and into the night, galloping along to the telephone exchange. Going in, she requested the address and got it, then went back out and rode to the mansion that she lived in.

She tied her horse to a post, then took off her helmet and hung it from the saddle horn, and went up the stairs, ringing the bell. After a moment, an elderly maid opened the door, scowling for second when she saw her.

"Hello, sir, what can I do for you?"

"Is Ms. Victoria here?" She asked.

"What's it to you?" She asked.

"I've come to apologize."

The maid was surprised by that.

"…Oh…w-well, please, come in." She said, opening the door more and stepping aside, allowing Sarid to step in and she closed the door behind her. "Please wait here, sir."

She went up the grand staircase, going down the hall at the top.

Sarid stood, looking down at the floor, thinking about what Flint had told her, when she heard more steps. Looking up, she saw the maid, a man and Victoria coming down the steps, the man heavily built and on in his years, watching Sarid carefully. Victoria had since changed from her uniform and wore a sky blue dress with long sleeves and mock turtle neck.

"…" Sarid thought of how to start. "I apologize for coming here after dark, but I came to apologize to you."

She looked up at her, her eyes still puffy and red from crying.

"I'm sorry for how blunt I was with you. I should've been more gentle, and I shouldn't of just walked away either. You have my deepest apologies for my inexcusable behavior."

"…So…" Her voice was very quiet. "W…will you go with me then?"

"…I'm sorry, but no thank you." Sarid told her.

She looked like she was going to cry again.

"But don't let me discourage you." Sarid told her. "Keep looking, and you'll find someone who was worth the wait."

"…But I want you." She told her.

 _…I was not prepared for that._ Sarid thought. _Now what? Commander Flint told me to be gentle…_

"…" She shook her head. "Believe me, I'm not interested in romance. I wouldn't be a good match for you."

"…" She took a sharp breath and then turned and ran, going back up the steps, the man rushing after her, calling her name.

"You'd best be going." The maid told her.

Sarid thought of tell her to have a good evening, but the point seemed mute. Instead, she merely nodded and showed herself out, going down the steps to her horse and riding back to the estate. When she arrived she put the horse up in the stables and unsaddled it, then went to Flint's study, where he sat doing paperwork. He looked up when she entered, going to one of the chairs before his desk and sitting down.

"Go for an evening walk?" He asked.

"No sir, I went and apologized." She told him.

"Really?" He asked, looking up at her.

"Yes sir."

"…And?"

"She still ended up running off to cry." Sarid told him.

"…" He took off his glasses, leaned back in his chair and sighed. "…What happened?"

She explained to him the conversation that had taken place, and when she finished, he sat for a moment before putting his glasses back on.

"Well, you did everything that you had to and could do." Flint told her. "How she reacted was up to her."

"Yes sir." Sarid said, then slumping down some. "She isn't the only one whose affections I turned away today."

"What?" Flint asked, looking at her.

"Two other girls tried to express some form of affection toward me, one asking me to the homecoming dance as well and the other bought a pizza for me at the restaurant I went to with the others, and I checked my locker when I was there at the lockers with Asher, and numerous love notes spilled out of it when I opened it."

"…" Flint blinked with surprise. "Given your height, that surprises me."

"Pardon?" Sarid asked.

"Most girls want a man whose taller than them, though for a man you're of short height."

"You're short too." Sarid told him. He looked amused at it.

"You've got a point." He admitted. "…Wait, how did you know…?"

"Are you serious?" She asked him. "You've your own group of admirers."

"…" Flint sighed, taking his glasses off.

The weekend went by normally, though it had finally chilled enough to where students wore the dark blue coats with the golden insignias that went with their uniforms. Sarid sat in Pip's history class, taking notes, when a folded piece of paper landed on her desk, her name written on it. Confused, she picked it up and unfolded it, seeing a note written on it.

 _ **What do you call a two-humped camel?**_

 _ **-Asher**_

She looked over at him, seeing he was glancing at her.

 _I don't know._

 _-Sarid_

She handed it to Danel, who sat beside her, and her handed it back to Asher, who sat behind him.

He took it and unfolded it, then wrote something, handing it back to Danel, who gave it to her.

 _ **Pregnant!**_

Sarid looked at it for a moment, confused, then understood the joke.

 _Oh._ She thought, an idea coming to mind.

 _Why do dogs love peace?_

It was returned to him, then back to her.

 _ **I dunno.**_

 _Because they love treat-ies._

 _ **AAAAH!**_

She watched as he managed to contain his laughter, then writing something.

 _ **A man walks into a bar. He says "ow".**_

 _Ha! What has six legs, is pink, has a trunk and is the size of a horse?_

 _ **I dunno, what?**_

 _I don't know – that's why I asked you!_

 _ **Ha ha! OH! What is so huge that the sun pales in comparison?**_

 _I don't know…_

 _ **Lance's ego!**_

She almost burst into laughter.

 _A lawyer was working to get his client acquitted. He told the jury: "The murdered man will walk through the courtroom doors in ten seconds!" They looked in anticipation, but nothing happened, and they looked back at the lawyer, who told them: "Since all of you looked, there was a reasonable doubt in your mind, so can you really call my client guilty?" They went to decide the verdict, and when they came back, the pronounced the defendant guilty. Confused, the lawyer asked why, since all of them looked, and the head jurist said: "We looked, but your client didn't."_

 _ **Oh snap! Okay, okay… What do scientists use to freshen their breathes?**_

 _What?_

 _ **Experi-mints!**_

 _Aaaah… What has hundreds of ears, but can't hear anything?_

 _ **What?**_

 _A cornfield._

 _ **HA HA!**_

They kept doing this back and forth, writing jokes that made them contain laughter, when-

"Mr. Pip!" Lance yelled, his hand shooting up in the air.

"Yes, Lance?" Pip asked.

"Sarid and Asher are passing notes!"

Pip looked at them, Asher in the middle of writing. He walked down the aisle to his desk, looking at the note and picking it up, Asher shifting uncomfortably in his seat. A smile appeared on Pip's face, and soon enough, he was laughing at the jokes they had exchanged.

"As wholesome as this is, don't do it during class." He told Asher, who nodded, he then looking at Sarid. "Understand?"

"Yes sir."

"Good, good…" He said, walking back up the aisle, continuing the lecture. After class ended, Sarid waited for Asher outside of the classroom, he coming out and seeing her.

"Sorry about getting caught." He told her.

"Don't worry about it." Sarid told him, they walking down the hall together. "I enjoyed the jokes."

"Oh yeah! I loved your dog pun." He told her.

"Thank you." She told him with a small smile.

They arrived at chemistry, sitting with Hannah at their station, Lance walking in with a dark look on his face, going right to their station.

"How come _you two_ didn't get in trouble?!" He demanded.

"Probably because this was our first offense." Sarid told him plainly.

"But that doesn't excuse your behavior! Both of you know better!"

"And you know better than to pick fights with people, yet you do it all the time."

"…You…!"

"Me."

Lance raised a fist, Sarid blocking it and kneeing him in the stomach, then pushed him back against the wall.

He groaned from the pain, holding his stomach, Drew and Crew going to him, Merlyn walking in and seeing the scene.

"What happened now?" He asked.

"Lance started it." Sarid told him, sitting back down.

"Of course…" Merlyn sighed. "Lance, do you need to see the doctor?"

"No…" He forced out.

"Then go to your station and don't cause anymore trouble."

Drew and Crew got him up and he flailed about, making them back away, and he walked to his seat. Sarid looked at Asher, who looked at her, and they contained a shared laughter.

Later that day…

"Very good!" Flint praised, Asher sparring with him while Sarid ran through kata.

"Thank you!" Asher told him, then blocking a kick, catching the leg and pushing Flint back, so that he fell down.

"Excellent!" Flint told him, then getting up and looking up at the clock. "Alright, that's enough for today. Good job, both of you!"

"Thank you, Commander." Sarid told him, finishing her kata.

"Yes sir, thank you!" Asher told him. "Oh, Sarid!"

"Yes?"

"Some of the others and I were going to go swimming today at the school pool. Wanna come?"

"Very well."

"Great!" Asher said, Flint smiling fondly.

"Well, I'll send the carriage back for you after an hour." Flint told Sarid. "Have a good time."

"Yes sir, thank you." Sarid told him. They dried themselves with towels, Sarid going with Asher and they went to the locker rooms, Sarid stopping.

 _Oh no…_ She thought.

"Sarid?" Asher asked, looking back at her.

"I just remembered something I need to do momentarily." She told him. "I'll just be a minute."

"Alright." He told her with a smile, then going into the boy's locker room. Sarid looked down the hall both ways, seeing it was clear, then went into the girl's locker room. She looked around carefully, seeing that it was clear for her. She quickly changed, putting on her school-issued bathing suit, which was dark blue and medium blue, then the male swim shorts and a black t-shirt over it, tucking it in, then stashed her things and went back into the hall, seeing the way was clear. She rushed through the boy's locker room, her eyes squeezed shut, though the door she had to go through was straight across the room, she finding it and pushing it open. The warmth of the pool room rushed over her, and she opened her eyes, seeing her classmates in the water, enjoying themselves.

"Hey Sarid!" Sparkle called.

"Hello." Sarid told her.

"Why're you wearing a shirt?" Sparkle asked.

"I just felt like it." Sarid told her.

"Oh. Okay!" She said. "Come on, the water's great!"

She jumped into the pool, causing a great splash, Sarid blinking.

"WOO-HOO!" She heard Reginald exclaim, she looking up to see him jumping off of the high-dive, diving into the pool. Asher splashed up from under the water, holding onto the side of the pool.

"C'mon!" He told her, smiling.

"…Very well." She said, then jumping into the water, the warm liquid rushing over her, bubbles swarming around her. She went above the water, shaking her head so that the water flung from it.

"Who wants to play chicken?!" Crow Greenhorn yelled.

"Yeah!" Faye said.

"Count me in!" Reginald cheered.

"Hey Sarid, let's be a team!" Asher said, tugging at Sarid's arm.

"Very well." She said.

"Alright!" He cheered, diving under the water and getting her up on his shoulders.

"To battle!" Sarid said, Asher roaring and charging toward the other teams, Hannah and Faye one of them. Hannah lifted her arms and Sarid grabbed her hands, both of them pushing back and forth, when Sarid forced herself up and put her weight on Hannah, forcing her backwards. She tried to grab Sarid's shirt, though she missed and fell back into the water.

"VICTORY!" Asher yelled.

They kept on, going up against Autumn and Xanos, Danel and Leo, Crow and Sparrow, Rooster and Reginald, Sparkle and Esmeralda, while Ada stood off to the side, refereeing.

"Sarid and Asher are the winners!" Ada announced, everyone crowding around them and pulling at Sarid, pulling her down from Asher's shoulders. They then lifted her and Asher up, cheering for them.

"Thank you, thank you!" Asher said, bowing. Sarid smiled from amusement, then lifted her arms, shaking her own hands in the air.

"Yes, applause!" She said in a snooty voice, everyone laughing, then dropping them down into the water. Sarid felt the bubbles swarm around her, then she splashed up above the water, wiping her eyes, and then splashing at her classmates, which turned into a splash war, people dunking each other and jumping on one another, which then somehow turned into a game of Marco-Polo.

Sarid was laughing as everyone avoided Faye, who was trying to find someone in the pool, when she heard the school bell tower ring.

"Agh, I need to go." She said, swimming over to the pool edge.

"Aw, man!" Asher said.

"But it's only been an hour!" Reginald whined.

"Commander Flint told me he would send the carriage back for me in an hour." Sarid told him.

"Oh…" He said.

"I'd like to stay, but I shouldn't disobey him either."

"Well…have a good evening!" Hannah told her.

"All of you do the same." Sarid told them, then walking towards the locker rooms. She looked back, seeing their attention had gone back to their game, and she ducked into the girl's locker room, steadying the door after she entered. She ran to her locker and changed out of her clothes and swimsuit, drying herself, then put her uniform back on, when she heard the door opening and chatter.

She grabbed her things and ran and hid in the showers.

"It's too bad Sarid had to leave." Hannah said.

"Yeah!" Sparkle agreed.

"He's not as much of a stick in the mud as he used to be, eh?" Ada asked.

"Oh no." Hannah agreed. "I'm glad him and Asher are friends now."

"Oh, how's your dad doing, by the way?" Faye asked.

"He's fine. Enjoying retirement and working here for the extra money, not that we need it." Hannah said.

"That's good." Faye said.

"So what should we do next time?" Sparkle asked. "What about a party?!"

"Nah, there's nothing really going on…" Autumn said.

"Aw…" Sparkle sounded.

"How about we have a game night?" Autumn suggested.

"OooOOOooo!" The other girls went.

"Yeah!" Sparkle said. "We can have all kinds of fun with that!"

"Card games, board games, maybe some dancing game…" Hannah listed.

"Yeah!" Ada cheered.

"Alright, let's get the guys on board and we can do it at my place this Friday!" Autumn said.

The girls agreed, Sarid peeking out to see they were at their lockers, towels around them as they changed and their backs to her.

 _I need to go…_ She thought, sneaking out of the shower and going past the lockers.

She stepped and her foot slipped, she stopping herself from falling, but her foot still made a noise, her eyes going wide.

"Huh?" Sparkle said, her head appearing from the lockers.

Sarid internally screamed.

 _"PEEPING TOM!"_ Sparkle screamed, clutching her towel to her, Sarid's back to her and her head down. She heard screaming, felt objects thrown at her, and she ran for the door, only to be stopped by a fully dressed Hannah.

 _"SARID?!"_ She exclaimed in disbelief.

"Saird?!" The other girls echoed, appearing.

"And I thought you were a nice guy!" Hannah said.

"…" Sarid stared at her with wide eyes, a heated wave of panic rushing down her back. _How do I explain this?!_

"We're kicking you out of our friend circle!" Faye told her.

"Knock 'em down!" Ada yelled. "Let's give 'em what for!"

"Yeah!" Sparkle agreed, they starting to crowd her, Sarid looking at each of them.

"I…" She said, then squeezing her eyes shut. "I'M A _GIRL!"_

Silence.

"…Whaaat?!" Sparkle squawked.

"Yeah right!" Ada said.

"It's true." Sarid told her. "One of the lockers in here has my things. If I show you that, will you believe me?"

"…" They looked at each other, then parted the way for her to go. She did so, going to her locker, they following her. Entering the combination, it clicked open and she opened it, the girls looking inside and seeing her shirt, swim trunks and swimsuit hanging in it, still dripping.

"…You ARE a girl!" Ada exclaimed.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Faye said. "Why didn't you ever say you were a girl?!"

"I never said I was a boy." Sarid told her.

"…Well…! You wear the boy's uniform!" She told her.

"I don't like skirts." Sarid told her.

"…I can relate." Ada said.

"Well…why didn't you ever say you were a girl?" Hannah asked.

Sarid sighed, sitting down on a bench.

"…When I was a little girl, I was much more…feminine." She told them. "But as I grew, I just…left those things behind and became more interested in more 'masculine' things, such as fighting, training, weapons, and such. I've never had interest since I was young in feminine things, even now I'm not interested in boys or romance, make-up, clothes and whatever else a normal girl would be interested in…so…I thought why? Granted, I am a girl. I was born one and nothing will ever change that, but…if I'm not acting like a girl…how would I be treated? Would I be ridiculed and scorned? Would I be rejected and branded a pariah? So…I never said anything. I just wanted to finish school and go on with life, and let my growing take its course."

"…" They looked at each other and at her, Faye then bending down and putting a hand on her shoulder.

"So you were afraid no one would like you?" She asked.

"No, just…find me freakish." Sarid told her. "Such branding follows a person through life, and I was afraid of how it would affect my future. It's not like I can runaway to another country and become the ruler of it."

"…Sarid…" Hannah said. "You're not freakish."

She looked up at Hannah.

"You're just a late bloomer." She told her. "Heck, some women retain no interest in romance for their whole lives. That's fine. There's nothing wrong with you."

"…Really?" She asked.

"'Course not!" Ada told her. "You just out grew lil' girl things and haven't developed for young lady things!"

"…" Sarid let out a sigh of relief, putting her head to her knees. "…Thank you."

They gathered around her and hugged her the best they could.

"AH!" Autumn exclaimed.

"What?" Faye asked.

"Sarid's carriage!" She said. "She needs to go before the guys get changed!"

"Ah!" Ada went, Hannah going to the door and sticking her head out, looking back and forth.

"You better go now." Hannah told Sarid, who got up and went to the door.

"Thank all of you again, but please don't tell anyone." She told them, then leaving.

The door swung shut behind her, and she rushed down the hallway, to where the carriage was waiting.

Later…

Sarid stood outside of Flint's study, her hand raised to knock, staring at the door and wearing her casual clothes.

 _You need to tell him._ She thought. _I need to…no, I can't. But I need to. But…No! I should!...Shouldn't I?_

She stood a moment longer, then knocked on the door, a bit louder than she intended.

"Come in, Sarid!"

She opened the door in a rush.

"How did you know it was me?!" She asked.

"Whenever you want to tell me something but are hesitant to do so, you stand outside and knock a bit louder than you and everyone else intends to." He told her, not looking up from his paperwork.

"…Right. Well, anyway…" She closed the door behind her and went to the desk, sitting down in one of the chairs before it.

"What do you want to tell me?" Flint asked, looking up at her and taking off his glasses.

"…They found out." Sarid told him.

"…Who, Sarid?"

"…The other girls in my class." Sarid told him. "They found out I'm a girl."

"And how did that happen?" Flint asked.

She told him the story of how it happened, he sitting back and listening as she told it to him.

"…Well, I can see why you were worried, but why did you ask them not to tell anyone?" Flint asked.

"…I don't know." Sarid told him. "I guess I just enjoy being perceived as a boy. I don't have to put up with men chasing after me, trying to justify why I should court them, while I can turn women away for good reason. I can fight Lance without him condescending me for being a girl, I can ride regular saddle instead of side-saddled without people nagging me, I don't like skirts or dresses, and being seen as a boy I can get away without wearing them…"

"You can enjoy the freedoms of a man." Flint said.

"Yes sir." Sarid told him.

"Well, being a man also has its ups and downs." He told her.

"I know." She told him. "Men are expected to be stoic and not show expression or affection towards other men, even if their friends for whatever reason…"

"And some other things, but you actually being a girl won't have to worry about it." Flint told her, she not understanding. "But what's done is done. It's best to move on as best you can."

"Yes sir." Sarid agreed.

* * *

 **AN – Alright, I'll cut it here for now.**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN – And here we are again.**

* * *

Sarid left English, yawning. She had taken three tests that day, and had been studying for them all week.

"Sarid!" Asher called. She looked back, seeing him rushing over to her. "How d'you think you did on the test?"

"I'm hoping I did well." She told him, they walking together.

"Are you going to Autumn's house tonight for the game night?" He asked.

"Of course." Sarid told him with a smile.

"Great!" He said.

They talked as they went to the gym, training with Flint, then going home. Sarid changed into her casual clothes and pulled on her coat, the breeze outside chilly with fall, the leaves changing to brilliant, burning colors.

There was a knock at her door.

"Come in!" She said. The door opened, and Flint stepped in.

"Sarid?"

"Yes sir?" She asked.

"Can I speak with you a moment?"

"Yes sir."

He stepped in, closing the door behind him, then went to her.

"…I wanted to ask you…" He started, "…if the reason you've been going to all these gatherings is because I told you I was worried about you."

"…" She blinked, looking down some. "…I will admit, that was the original reason for me going."

"Original?" He asked.

"Yes sir." She told him, looking back up at him. "I wanted to ease your worries, so I went to the social gatherings, but…now I'm going because I enjoy the company of my classmates."

"…" He smiled fondly at her, then hugged her. She hugged him back, and they stood like that for a time before parting. He kept his hands on her shoulders, then taking one hand and cupping her face with it. "I'm glad you won't be alone."

She smiled some, to which he smiled more.

Later…

Sarid rolled a pair of dice, playing a board game with Asher, Hannah and Reginald, while others played other games around them, more board games or card games. It landed on six, Sarid moving her player the amount of spaces, landing on a question square. She pulled a card, reading the question a loud.

"What is the name of the metallic elements that belong to group two on the periodic table of elements?" She read.

"Oh!" Reginald exclaimed. "Contrail homogenitus!"

"…That's a type of cloud." Sarid told him.

"WHAT?!" He exclaimed, Hannah and Asher laughing.

"It's actually alkaline earth metals." Asher laughed.

"You lied to me you…liar!" Reginald said to him. "That's what I put on that test weeks ago!"

"I'm surprised you remembered." Hannah told him.

"You honestly think I'd help you cheat?" Asher asked.

"…" Reginald blinked, then smacked his head against his forehead, Hannah laughing more.

"Well, you can also move six spaces, Asher." Sarid told him, he picking up his piece and moving it forward six spaces, landing on a second roll space. He took the dice and rolled twice, getting eleven spaces.

"Wow." Hannah commented, watching as Asher moved the piece, getting near the end.

"Man…" Reginald said.

"Your turn, Reginald." Sarid said, Asher handing the dice to him. He rolled, getting a seven, he moving his piece to a three more spaces spot. He moved it three spaces, tying with Hannah.

The dice were handed to her, she taking them and rolling, getting a five. She moved her player five spaces, landing on a go back square. With a frown she did so, going back to the square she started out on, tied with Reginald again.

The dice were handed to Sarid, and she rolled them, getting an eight.

"So, Sarid, Ash said you like architecture?" Hannah asked.

"That's correct." Sarid told her, moving her piece.

"When I move out will you design my mansion?" Reginald asked.

"I don't give friend discounts, if that's what you're hoping for." Sarid told him, he snapping his fingers. They laughed, Asher rolling the dice and getting five.

"What do you mainly like to design?" Asher asked, moving his piece.

"Mostly more elegant buildings with gothic architecture." Sarid told him.

"Sounds nice." Hannah said, rolling the dice and getting four.

"I'd prefer something different." Reginald said as Hannah moved her piece. "Something cube-ish."

"Why cube-ish?" Asher asked.

"Because, it's different." Reginald told him plainly.

Asher ended up winning the game, he cheering when he did so.

"WHO WANTS TO PLAY APPLES AND ORANGES?!" Sparkle yelled, holding up the box for it.

"ME! MEMEME!"

"I DO!"

"OH YEAH!"

" _NOW_ IT'S A GAME NIGHT!"

Everyone gathered around in a large circle, the cards being passed out and the game starting.

"Sparkle, you can go first." Autumn said, sitting beside her.

"Thank you!" She told her, picking up one of the subject cards. "Fluffy. Downy, soft, cuddly."

Sarid looked at her cards and thought about Sparkle and her personality, but ultimately put down Cats. After everyone put a card down, Sparkle collected them and began to read them off, everyone laughing or questioning the cards that had been presented.

Later…

"Thanks for coming, guys!" Autumn said as everyone began filing out, putting on their coats.

"Thank you for having us." Sarid told her.

"It's no trouble." Autumn told her. Sarid smiled a bit, then went down the steps, looking around and spotting Asher helping Hannah into their carriage. She rushed over to him, tugging at his coat sleeve.

"Asher." She said, he looking at her.

"Yeah Sarid?" He asked. She went up on her toes and cupped her mouth, whispering into his ear.

"Meet me at the entrance to the park tomorrow night at ten. Wear black or dark clothing and bring two buckets with you."

"…Okaaay…" He said, clearly confused.

"Good. I'll see you then." She told him, turning and walking towards her carriage, climbing up into it and riding back to Flint's estate. It stopped outside the front door, Sarid climbing out and entering the mansion, seeing Flint sitting in the foyer chair, reading the evening newspaper. He looked up at her, as she closed the door, smiling at her.

"So, how was it?" He asked.

"It was fun." She told him. "We played Apples and Oranges."

"Ah, it's not a game night without that!" He told her, smiling and standing up. "I'm glad you went because you wanted to."

"Yes sir." Sarid said.

"Anything else planned for you and you friends?"

"Not yet." Sarid told him.

"If you ever want to host anything, just ask me."

"Yes sir, thank you." She told him. He smiled fondly at her, and held his arms out, she hugging him, he hugging her back. After a moment they separated, Flint smiling at her.

"Sleep good." He told her.

"Yes sir, you too." She told him, then going up to her room for the night.

She slept through the night, then got up early the next morning and ate breakfast, stretched and went for her morning run, then returned to the estate, cooling off. She did some homework and reading, went riding with Flint, practiced her fencing, weapons training, and did some more reading. When nine came, she dressed herself in dark clothes, a black sweater and dark blue jeans, a black toboggan on her head. She snuck out of the manor and ran along the moonlit road, stopping in town at a novelties shop and buying several fake snakes, then running onto the park.

Sarid stood by the entrance for a few minutes before Asher appeared around the corner, carrying the buckets and wearing black slacks, a black jacket zipped up to his chin and a dark green toboggan on his head.

"Ah, good, you're here." Sarid said.

"What're we doing here at this hour?" Asher asked her.

"You'll see." She said with a grin.

Meanwhile…

"My darling, how beautiful you look in the moonlight!" A man told a woman, both of them under a tree, the man holding her hand and both of them sitting on a bench.

"Oh, why thank you." She told him shyly, looking away.

"Please, don't hid your beauty from me." He told her, taking her chin and turning her head back toward him, she blushing. "Not even the night sky in all it's shining brilliance can compare to you!"

"Dearest…" She said, they embracing.

"Please, let me feel the tenderness of your lips." He told her, their heads began to close the distance between them, when they felt something land on them. "What the…?"

The man took it and pulled it off of them, holding it up.

The woman screamed and he let out a shrill yell, dropping the snake and running off, the woman running a different direction.

Up in the tree, Sarid and Asher burst into laughter, holding onto the trunk to keep from falling out.

"That was great!" Asher laughed.

"I know!" Sarid agreed, laughing as well. They began to climb down, reaching the ground and began to calm down.

"So where should we look now?" Asher asked.

"Let's look over around the lake." Sarid told him.

"Alright!" He said, they taking off. They reached the lake, sneaking around it and finding other couples, throwing the fake snakes onto them, laughing when they went running off, yelling into the night. After circling the lake, they had only one snake left, and were still giggling over their last victims.

"Okay, we should've done this sooner." Asher laughed.

"Let's do it again during the spring, when love is in bloom." Sarid told him.

" _YES."_ Asher said, both of them laughing again. They heard voices, both of them going and hiding in the bushes. Army crawling, they came to a clearing, seeing both Lance and the second girl Sarid had turned down. They both wore heavy coats to keep themselves warm, the girl having a dark blue one and Lance having a black one.

"Look, I just want to get revenge on Sarid." The girl told Lance.

"And why should I care?" Lance asked.

"Because, I know you don't like Sarid." She told him. "Surely seeing me on your arm, his sworn enemy, would evoke some feeling in him."

"As much as I hate Sarid, why should I help you?" He asked.

"Because, when my plan works, you'll get to see Sarid depressed and inconsolable." She told him, his eyes lighting up.

"Oh, I like the sound of that." He said.

Sarid tugged at Asher's sleeve, motioning for him to follow her.

"So, what do you need me to do?" Lance asked her.

"Just brag about me around Sarid and pretend to be my courtier, and everything else should fall into place." She told him. "He'll regret turning me away!"

"Right…you…" Lance said.

"Eliza." She told him.

"Right, Eliza." He said, holding out a hand. "Deal?"

"Deal." She said, they shaking hands.

Followed by water pouring onto them.

Eliza let out a gurgled scream from the cold water, Lance having his eyes squeezed shut, and slowly opened them, his face resembling an angry snake.

"Who did this?!" Eliza yelled, Sarid and Asher scrambling down their trees and running into the shadows, Eliza's yelling fading away as they reached the entrance to the park, where they burst into laughter.

"I can't believe she's trying to get revenge on you!" Asher laughed.

"Oh, you don't want me? Fine! I'll go to the petty school bully and try to get you to want me that way!" Sarid said in a snooty voice, Asher laughing more. "Honestly, what does she think that distorts her thinking into me wanting her?"

"I dunno, but that was totally worth it!" Asher told her.

"Who's there?!"

They looked, seeing coppers in uniform looking around, they hidden in the shadow of the park entranceway.

"Come on out, ye miscreants!" One yelled.

 _"RUN."_ Sarid whispered, then taking off, Asher following her. They ran down the streets and around corners onto a country road, coming to Flint's estate and to the manor on it, running in the front door and shutting it behind them, Asher out of breath.

They panted, then looked at each other, and burst into laughter.

Sarid leaned against the wall, slowly sliding down it and Asher held his sides, laughing so hard that tears streamed from his eyes.

"Ahem."

They froze, their laughter stopping, and looked to see Flint and Washington sitting in the foyer chairs, arms crossed and an eyebrow raised.

"…" Sarid and Asher looked at each other, then back at them.

"And what were you two doing out so late?" Flint asked.

Sarid and Asher looked at each other again, and then sighed.

"We were out at the park…" Asher told them.

"It was my idea, but…we dropped fake snakes on couples." Sarid told them.

"Except for Lance and Eliza, we dumped water on them." Asher admitted.

"…" Flint and Washington looked at each other, then back at them, clearly failing at suppressing smiles.

"In all honesty," Washington said, starting to chuckle, "that sounds like something we would've done at your age."

They began to laugh then, sliding down in their chairs, Sarid and Asher looking at each other again. After they finished laughing, they sat back up straight, clearing their throats.

"As fun and amusing as that sounds, don't do it again." Flint told them.

"We're not allowed to throw fake snakes or dump water on couples again?" Sarid asked.

"No, you're not allowed to scare couples or dump water on them again." Flint told her, catching the loophole she had tried to make, she snapping her fingers in defeat. Flint smiled some, amused.

"Well, anyway, it's late." Washington said.

"And I invite both of you to spend the night here tonight, if you like." Flint told them.

"Why, thank you!" Washington told him. "That alright with you Asher?"

"Yes sir." He told him.

"Good, let's go find you some pajamas." Flint told them.

Later…

Sarid laid staring out into the dark, moonlight barely able to make it through the curtains, Asher laying on the sofa in her room.

"…Psst. Sarid" He whispered.

"Yes?" She asked.

"I'll get my revenge on you!" Asher said in a silly, falsetto voice, Sarid snorting.

"I'll go along with this, but only if I get to witness his crushed expression!" She said in a snooty voice. Asher laughed, then calming down.

"On their deathbeds, they came to realize that their plot would never work." Asher said in a narrator voice, Sarid laughing.

"Oh, why didn't it work?" Sarid asked in an elderly voice. "Were we not convincing enough?"

"Maybe we should've moved on." Asher said in the same voice.

"I wish they would." Sarid told him. "They really need to grow up."

"Yeah…" Asher agreed. They laid in silence for a time, when Asher make an outlandish snoring noise. Sarid laughed, and did the same, and they did so back and forth until they fell asleep.

Asher and Washington left the next morning after breakfast, heading home, and Sarid spent the day normally, training, studying and reading. Monday she got up and went for her morning run, then returned to the manor and got ready for school.

"That's great!" Reginald laughed, everyone else laughing as Sarid and Asher told them of their shenanigans Saturday night.

"Why are so many people afraid of snakes?" Crow asked, still amused. "They're harmless unless they're poisonous."

"I don't know." Sarid told him, smiling. "But it was fortunate for us that night."

"SARID!"

Everyone looked, seeing Lance with Drew and Crew in the doorway.

"Lance." Sarid said.

"You dumped water on me Saterday night!" He told her accusingly.

"You have proof of this?" Sarid asked, that part having been kept from the class.

"…No, but it was you!" Lance told her.

"…Right. Anyway," she turned back to her classmates, "what do all of you want to do this Friday?"

"Oh, there's a karaoke place opening up Friday!" Sparkle said.

"OooOOOooo!" Esmeralda sounded.

"Don't try and get away from it!" Lance said, dashing over to Sarid and grabbing the front of her shirt. Sarid grabbed his wrist and stood from the desk she was sitting on, taking a large step back and twisting as she did so, making Lance lose his grip and fall, Sarid holding his arm up in the air and their classmates laughing. Lance went red in the face and tried to get up, only to have Sarid put her knee against his ribcage.

"I wouldn't if I were you." She told him. He looked at her with venomous eyes, Sarid merely staring back at him. After a moment, she dropped his arm and stepped back, he getting up and dusting himself off, glaring at her and then going to his seat.

Pip came in then, noticing the still atmosphere, looking at the students.

"What'd I miss?" He asked.

"Nothing out of the usual." Xanos told him.

"…Right. Well, get to your seats. It's time to start class." He told them, they going to their seats.

The rest of the day and week passed normally, coming to Friday night, Sarid wearing her coat and casual clothes, going into the karaoke building, leaving her coat with the front man. There were colored lights with the regular ones, along with a dance floor, tables and booths all around the room.

"Sarid!" Asher called. She looked, seeing him sitting with Hannah and Faye. A faint smile touched her face, and she went to them, sitting down. "How're you?"

"I'm fine, how are all of you?" She asked.

"We're fine." Faye told her.

"Hey Sarid!" Xanos said, popping up behind Faye in the next booth over, Autumn popping up next to him as well. "Any more girls send you pizzas?"

"No, and hopefully there will be no more." Sarid told him.

"Man," Reginald said, popping up behind Asher, sitting in the booth behind him, "how d'you get so many girls?"

"I honestly have no idea, considering how short I am." She told him. The lights suddenly dimmed, focused on the stage. Danel and Leo went up on stage, holding mics in their hands. Music started, and they were giddy and grinning.

"If I were a rich man…with a million or two…" Leo started.

" _I'd live in a penthouse, in a room with a view…"_ Danel sang.

"And if I were handsome,"

" _No way!"_

"it could happen…those dream do come true…I wouldn't have nothin' if I didn't have you."

They sang through the song, and ode to their friendship, and when it came to an end, they bowed and the crowd cheered. They left the stage and Reginald went up, swaggering onto the stage. Music for him started.

" _Oooooooooooooh!_

 _A moment you'll never remember, and a night you'll never forget!_

 _OooooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!_

 _All you sinners stand up sing hallelujah!_

 _Show praise with your body, stand up sing hallelujah!_

 _And if you can't stop shaking, let it move right through ya!_

 _Say your prayers, say your prayers, say your prayers!"_

He sang through his song, some people getting up and dancing, until it came to an end, the crowd cheering. Faye excited got up, pulling Hannah along with her. After a moment, the went up on stage, music starting.

" _I hear your heart beat to the beat of the drums,_

 _oh what a shame that you came here with someone,_

 _so while you're here in my arms,_

 _let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young!"_

 **(This is the Becky G remix.)**

When they finished, there were people dancing, and cheers from the crowd that rained down on them, they bowing and heading off stage. Autumn and Xanos went up then, music starting.

Xanos started:

" _Woke up on the right side of the bed,_

 _What's up with this Prince song inside my head?_

 _Hands up if you're down to get down tonight,_

' _cause it's always a good time."_

Autumn joined in the song and they sang, more people dancing and cheering when they finished, they bowing. Sparkle went up on stage, and music began playing.

" _You got two black eyes from loving too hard,_

 _And a black car that matches your blackest soul,_

 _I wouldn't change ya, oh,_

 _Wouldn't ever try to make you leave, no-oh…"_

She sang, people dancing to it, until it came to and and they cheered for her.

Asher suddenly tugged at Sarid's sleeve.

"Let's duet!"

"Do it…?"

"No, let's sing together!"

"What?!" Sarid asked, Asher sliding towards her, forcing her out of the booth, he standing then. "I can't sing!"

"It's about having fun!" Asher told her. He took her hand and led her over to a counter, looking through a book, running his eyes over the pages, when he stopped at one. "How about this?"

Sarid looked at it, realizing it was one of her favorite songs.

"…Very well." She sighed.

"Great!" He said, the man behind the counter handing them microphones. Asher pulled Sarid toward the stage, and they went up onto it, the lights somewhat blinding.

The music started.

"Had to have high, high hopes for a living!

Shootin' for the stars when I couldn't make a killin',

Had to have high, high hopes!"

People poured out onto the dance floor, Asher moving with the words as Sarid stood still, nervously singing, though found herself loosening up, mimicking Asher's movements, even jumping onto a table at one point.

When they finished, the crowd exploded with cheers, Asher taking Sarid's hand and lifting it with his in victory, the two of them bowing, and then leaving the stage.

Later…

"That was great!" Sparkle said, all of them walking to their carriages. "We should do this again sometime!"

"Let's wait a few weeks." Ada told her. "If we do it too much, it just wouldn't be the same."

"…True." Sparkle admitted.

"So, you two going to go out and scare couples tomorrow night?" Hannah asked Asher and Sarid.

"No, Mr. Flint forbad us from doing something like that again." Asher told her.

"He even found my loophole." Sarid told her, she laughing. "Well, it was good seeing all of you. Have a good weekend."

"You too." Hannah told her, Asher hugging her, much to her surprise. Nevertheless, she hugged him back, and the separated after a moment.

"I'll see you Monday!" Asher told her, continuing to walk with Hannah.

"Same to you!" Sarid called, then getting up into her carriage.

She rode back to the estate, going into the manor's foyer upon arriving, seeing Flint sitting in the foyer chair, reading a book.

"Hello Commander." Sarid told him.

"Sarid!" He said, smiling and putting his book aside, standing. "Did you have a good time?"

"Yes sir, Asher convinced me to sing with him."

"Did he now?"

"Yes sir."

"Well, he's a fine young man, isn't he?"

"…Yes sir…?"

"Excellent!" He cheered. "Well, I'm off to bed. Sleep good, Sarid."

"Yes sir, same to you." She told him.

* * *

 **AN – I don't know what to write next, so I'll just stop here for now.**

 **Merry Christmas!**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN – AND WE'RE BACK.**

* * *

Sarid sat in Mortimer's math class, working on the math homework for the day. She was almost finished, as she only had two more problems left, when an idea popped into her head.

 _…I shouldn't. But I could. It would be funny. Asher would laugh._

She sat a second longer, then got out a sheet of paper, drawing a picture on it of Lance with a comically enraged face, and speech bubble saying _"I'M LANCE, WORSHIP ME!"_. After that, she folded it up and wrote Asher's name on it, looking up at Mortimer, who was doing work at his desk. She held the paper out to Danel, who noticed it and took it, handing it to Asher, who took it.

He unfolded it, then put a hand over his mouth to keep him from laughing. She smiled at his expression, and he took out a paper, drawing something on it, folded it up and passed it to Danel, who passed it to Sarid.

She unfolded it, seeing a picture of Lance with a black eye and comically enraged, a speech bubble saying _"Why does fighting Sarid never work?!"_.

She pressed her smiling lips together to keep from laughing, then got out another paper, drawing a picture of Lance making a duck face, a crown over his head and a speech bubble saying _"I'm the king"_.

Passing it to Danel, he passed it to Asher, who took it and unfolded it. He suppressed laughter, putting his head down on his desk and his shoulders bouncing. Sarid suppressed laughter as well, Asher sitting back up after a moment, then took out a paper and wrote something on it, then passed it to her. She took it and unfolded it.

 _Yes, worship me, Lance! Even though I'm a jerk and no one likes me, I deserve the world!_

Sarid grinned, then began to write.

 _Give me your worship and admiration!_

She passed it to him, and he took it, grinning at what she had wrote, then realized something. He wrote something and passed it to her, she taking it and unfolding it.

 _Is it really mature for us to be doing this?_

She thought for a moment.

 _…No, it's not._

 _…_

 _Did you know that if you took all the veins of a person, they would die?_

 _ **…OH! Hehe.**_

They kept exchanging jokes, until the bell rang, the class getting up and leaving, Sarid and Asher walking out together.

"I wish we could make jokes like that more often." Asher told her.

"Agreed." Sarid told him.

"Oh Lance!" They heard Eliza say, looking down the hall to see her and Lance standing with each other. "You're so funny!"

"And you're very pretty." Lance told her. Sarid and Asher looked at each other, laughed, and walked right by them, going to English, then to the gym. Flint met them there, and they trained, Sarid noticing that Asher was beginning to gain notable muscles.

The thought of his arms around her popped into her head, and she shook her head to get rid of it, which worked. They trained with Flint, finishing at the usual time.

"Good job today, both of you!" Flint praised as he wiped his forehead with a towel.

"Thank you!" Asher told him. "I'm not as tired as I was when I started doing this."

"That's a good sign of progress." Flint told him. "Same time tomorrow?"

"Yes sir!" Asher told him, buttoning his shirt up. Sarid finished buttoning up her vest, picking up her bag.

"I'll see you in class tomorrow, Asher." She told him.

"Alright, see you then!" He told her, grabbing his bag and headed for the door, he looked back and smiled, then pushed the door open and went through it, Sarid watching him. She felt odd.

"Sarid?"

"Yes sir?" Sarid asked, looking over her shoulder.

"We need to go."

"Oh, yes sir."

He smiled some, to her confusion, though they walked out of the gym and to the carriage, the leaves floating on the wind, beautiful burning reds and oranges. They boarded the carriage, riding in silence most of the way.

"Are you alright, Sarid?" Flint asked, she looking at him. "You seemed to of spaced out after the training, which is unlike you."

"…Yes sir, I was just thinking." She told him.

"About what, if you don't mind me asking?"

"…" She thought of the odd feeling and considered saying it was an architecture problem she had run into, but decided against it. "Something made me feel…odd."

"Odd?" He asked.

"…I don't know how to describe it." She told him.

"…Hm."

"…I…I suppose it's happiness."

"Well, there's nothing wrong with feeling happy."

"I know, but…nothing happened to make me feel that way."

"…Hm." He hummed, furrowing his brows. "Well…keep an eye on it, and we'll see if there's a source, and go from there."

"Yes sir." She told him.

They arrived back at the estate, Sarid going to her room and sitting at her desk, staring at the top of it. After moment, she got out her homework, finishing the last two math problems and finishing her chemistry notes from the book, then put them away and changed out of her uniform, putting on casual clothes, then went down to supper. After supper, she went and got her bow and arrows, as well as her pistol, then went and got the stallion from the stable, going out onto the property. She practiced her shooting and archery from horseback, until it the sun had set, burning oranges crusting the clouds, the air chilly.

She rode back, putting the stallion away and putting her gear up, then went up to her room and bathed, put on her pajamas and did some reading until she went to bed, laying awake.

Flint was already sitting at the table when she came down, dressed in her uniform.

"Good mor-"

She had bags under her eyes.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"I don't think I slept last night." She told him.

"Really?" Flint asked.

"Yes sir."

"…What kept you up?"

"I was thinking about that feeling." She told him, breakfast being served.

"Well, that's no good." Flint told her, picking up his fork. "Next time that happens, try reading something until you fall asleep."

"Yes sir." Sarid said, picking up a piece of toast.

They ate breakfast then rode out to the school, Sarid going to Pip's history class. She yawned as she sat in her seat, the other students gathered round each other.

"So, what should we do this weekend?" Sparkle asked.

"Bowling?" Leo asked.

"Nah…" Autumn told him. "Maybe we should take a week off?"

"We could all go on a trip." Hannah suggested. "Fall break is next week. We could all go to the southern coast for a vacation."

"OooOOOooo!" Danel sounded. "I like that idea!"

"I like it." Reginald agreed.

"All for it, say I!" Sparkle said.

"Wait." Asher told them, then looking over at Sarid. "Hey Sarid, you wanna come with us?"

"…" She watched him, his sweet smile and his brown doe eyes, and she felt odd again. "…Maybe I'll get sleep there."

"Alright!" He said, giving a thumbs up.

"It wouldn't be the same without you now!" Xanos told her, she smiling wearily.

"All for it, say I!" Sparkle repeated.

"I!" Everyone said.

"Great!" She said.

"My family owns a hotel down there." Esmeralda told them. "We can stay there."

"OooOOOooo!" Crow went, Sparrow grinning.

"That sounds great!" Asher told her.

"When should we leave?" Ada asked, Sarid getting up and going over to them.

"How about after school this Friday?" Sarid asked. "We'd get there late at night, but we'd have more time there."

"Good point!" Sparkle said.

"Then we leave after school on Friday?" Esmeralda asked.

"All in favor?" Reginald asked.

"I!" They all said.

"Then it's settled!" Sparkle said.

"I'll contact the hotel tonight when I get home." Esmeralda told them.

"Sweet!" Reginald told her, Pip walking in.

"Alright, everyone in your seats." He told them, Sarid and her classmates doing so. They listened during the lecture, Sarid struggling to stay awake for it, and the rest of the day, even during training. Flint did nothing to wake her when she fell asleep on the way back to the estate, but carried her in and put her to bed when they arrived.

She slept through the night, waking up the next morning and going for her morning run, then returned to the estate and cooled off, changing into her uniform. The day passed as normal, going to classes, then to training, where they grappled.

"C'mon!" Flint urged, Sarid and Asher rolling around on the mats, trying to pin each other. Sarid got her feet between them, pushing Asher in the chest, sending him flying back, landing on his back with his chin tucked down to keep from hurting himself. She got up in a crouch, Asher scrambling up and tackling her, she trying to stop him with her arms, only for him to get his arms around her, her arms pinned between their chests.

They fell onto the mat, Sarid fighting against him while he tried to hold his grip, she able to feel his heart beat under one of her hands, inhaling his scent and feeling his breaths and arms around her, his strong chest…

She suddenly sucked in a breath and felt heat come to her face, feeling very odd. Thrashing her legs, she got them under her and threw herself back, landing on Asher's hands. With a cry of pain, he released her and she scrambled away from him, off the mat where she turned away, gasping for breath.

"Sarid?" Flint asked. "Are you alright?"

"…" She said nothing but kept panting, her eyes staring at the floor with great intensity.

"…Sarid?" Asher asked.

"…" She said nothing, but kept staring.

"Sarid." Flint said, kneeling down next to her. "What's wrong?"

"…" She felt odd, and stood. "I need some air."

She rushed over to the doors and pushed one open, going out into the cool air, leaves falling around her. She walked a distance, then sat down on a bench, leaning forward and putting her head in her hands.

 _What is this?_ She wondered, staring at the ground. It was both happiness and confusion. Also…excitement? Maybe?

She leaned back, looking up at the blue, blue sky that complimented the burning colors of the trees so well and sighed.

 _…I need to get rid of this._

She sat there for a time, unable to get herself to go back. Flint found her, carrying her bag and the rest of her clothes, getting a worried look when he saw her.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"…I felt odd again." She told him.

"Again?"

"Yes sir."

"…Hm." He hummed. "Well…do you know what caused it?"

"…" She thought of Asher and it gripped her. "…Asher did."

"Asher?!"

"Sir?"

He stood looking down at her with a shocked expression, which then turned into a soft smile.

"Don't worry." He told her. "You'll figure it out soon enough."

"…" She blinked, and he just smiled more.

"Well, let's get back to the estate, don't want to be late for supper, now do we?"

"No sir." Sarid agreed, taking her clothes from him and starting to button up her shirt.

Later…

Sarid laid on her bed, staring up at the drapery above her. She thought about the odd feeling, and Asher came along with it, his sweet smile and soft eyes…

She smacked herself.

That surprised her, she blinking.

 _…Well, that didn't work…_

She sighed, then laid still for a moment, before grabbing her head and rolling back and forth on her bed, internally screaming. After a minute or two, she stopped, throwing her arms out to either side of her, going back to staring at the drapery above her bed.

 _WHYYYYYYYY…_

After a bit, the sunset and she was left in the dark. Getting up, she went and changed into her pajamas, then climbed into bed and nestled down into the mattress. She stared into the dark, the odd feeling worming its way into her mind, until she sat up, turned on her lamp and picked up the book on her nightstand, opening it and reading it.

She woke up the next morning with the book on her chest and her lamp still on.

The day passed as normal, the odd feeling coming and going, though she found it difficult to make and keep eye contact with Asher. The next day was the same, save for she packed that night for the beach trip the next day. After class, they all met up at the school's main entrance.

"WHO'S READY?!" Sparkle cheered, bubbling with excitement.

"The rooms are all prepared for us." Ada told them. "We each get our own room!"

"Yes!" Reginald said, pumping a fist in the air.

"We should get going, then." Sarid said, straightening her coat, as she and everyone else had changed into casual clothes. "We need all the daylight we can take."

"True." Hannah agreed.

"Well then," Autumn said, hopping up onto a carriage, "LET'S GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD!"

The classmates cheered, each of them loading up into the carriages, Sarid climbing up onto one and sitting down, stiffening when she saw Asher climbing in. He sat next to her, Hannah sitting across from him and Faye sitting next to her. The carriage started up, and they began moving along.

Faye and Hannah talked about herbal cures, while Asher listened, making the occasional comment, while Sarid stared out the window at the passing country side, the trees and sky beautiful.

"So what do you wanna do at the beach, Sarid?" Asher suddenly asked, bringing her back to reality.

"I'm not sure." She admitted.

"Oh!" Hannah exclaimed. "Let's have a HUGE bonfire one night!"

" _YES."_ Faye agreed. "We can roast marshmallows, cook food, do a rotisserie…"

"We could find shellfish and stuff to cook!" Asher told them.

" _YES._ " They said in unison.

"…Castle." Sarid said.

"Huh?" Asher asked.

"I'd like to build a sand castle."

"Hey, yeah!" Asher agreed.

"We could have a competition!" Faye said.

"Oh, Sarid'll beat everyone." Asher told her.

"Oh really?" Hannah asked, amused.

"Yeah really!" Asher told her. "Sarid's really good with architecture!"

"Building a building is one thing, but building a sandcastle is another thing entirely." Faye told him.

"Oh…" Asher said.

"But if Sarid builds an amazing sandcastle, you have the right to tell us you told us so." Hannah told him.

"Yes!" Asher said, pumping a fist. Hannah smiled, amused, when the carriage suddenly stopped.

"Why are we stopping?" Faye asked, trying to see out the window. Sarid got up and opened the door, looking up the convoy, her eyes going wide.

There were masked men on horseback, holding pistols.

She ducked back into the carriage.

"Bandits." She whispered.

"What?" Faye asked quietly.

"Here, I need to get to my bag." Sarid told them, then opening the door on the other side of the carriage. She looked out it, unable to see the bandits, then reached up and grabbed the handle to her bag, pulling it off the top of carriage. Ducking back in, she closed the door and opened it, her shirts and jeans folded neatly, though on the top were two pistols, two six-inch knives with a belt and holders, and two retractable batons.

"Wow." Hannah commented, Sarid buckling on the knife belt. She put the batons in her coat pockets, then took the pistols in hand, opening the door and looking down the road. There were bandits on that side now, one of them seeing her, though the door hid her pistols.

"You there!" The bandit yelled, raising his pistol.

She reacted faster than him, taking aim and shooting his hand. His horse reared back as he cried out with pain, he falling off the back.

 _There goes the element of surprise._ She thought, then running up the convoy, more bandits appearing. They took aim and she ducked and rolled under a carriage, coming up on the other side on her knee, taking aim and firing again. One man was hit in the shoulder, another in the leg, his horse rearing back and throwing him off. Another man drew a sword and charged Sarid, she firing at the horse's feet, spooking it so that it reared back. She dropped her empty gun, charging as she drew a knife and cut the girth, then slapped the horse's rear, which sent it running, the rider sliding off, Sarid aiming her other gun and shooting him in the foot.

He cried out with pain, when Sarid heard an _"AH!"_ and looked, seeing the final bandit with a club. She dropped her other empty pistol and drew the baton, deflecting the strike with it, cutting the horse's girth as it ran by. The rider fell from it, Sarid charging him and hitting him in the head with the baton, knocking him unconscious.

She looked around, seeing that the coachmen had gathered the bandits and tied them up, her classmates looking out of their carriages. When they saw that it was over, they cheered, swarming around her and picking her up.

"Three cheers for Sarid!" Danel yelled. They cheered, gently tossing her in the air as they did, then lowered her down so that she stood on the ground.

"Thank you." Sarid told them. "But these bandits shouldn't of been here…the roads should've been safe."

"We're not bandits!" One of the…supposed bandits said.

"Oh?" Sarid asked, raising a brow, then going over to them, though stopping a good distance away. "Then what are you?"

"We're actors!" One of them said. "We were hired to pull a prank of students who were going to a beach hotel!"

"What?!" Sarid's classmates asked, Sarid blinking with surprise.

"Who hired you?" Sarid asked.

"Some guy with black hair and dark grey eyes. About your age, though taller."

"… _ **LANCE!**_ " She roared.

"Yeah, that was his name." One of them said.

"Oh, that idiot!" Hannah said.

"Yes, he's fortunate I didn't kill any of these men!" Sarid agreed.

"Wait what?" One of the men asked.

"What should we do with them, m'lord?" One of the coachmen asked.

"…" Sarid looked at them. "…How close is the nearest town?"

"About a mile south, m'lord."

"We'll stop there and admit these men to a hospital, and give our statements to the constabulary. As for Lance, I'll deal with him."

"GET HIM EXPELLED, SARID!" Reginald yelled, her classmate agreeing.

"I'll think about it." Sarid told him. "For now, let's get these men to a hospital and round up their horses."

They did so, Sarid riding one with the saddle still intact alongside the carriages, having retrieved her guns and ready for any more surprises.

That night…

Sarid opened the door to her hotel room, to find a sitting room before her, the far wall made of windows with curtains, a large door on the right wall. She went to the door and opened it, seeing it was the bed room, with an elegant bed with drapes, nightstands on either side, a desk and chair, dresser, reading chair, as well as another door, which no doubt led to the bathroom.

She set her suitcase on the bed and started to unpack, putting her clothes away and setting the book she was reading on the nightstand, then took her toiletries into the bathroom, putting them away. The bathroom was also nice, with tiled walls, ceiling and floor, a large shower-tub combo and a new style toilet, one where you merely pushed a lever on the side rather than pulling a suspended chain.

Going back into the bedroom, she took off her coat and draped it over the desk chair, then looked at the window wall, going to it. Getting close enough, she saw that it had a sliding door, which surprised her given how modern such a thing was, and she unlocked it, then pushed it open, going out onto the balcony.

To the east, the moon was rising, casting lovely spots of silver onto the sea, whitewashing the sand that lined the coat. Below her was a pool, though there was no one in it, as they had fall break at a different time than the other schools in Julo, so they hotel was mostly empty at the time, which she liked. A warm breeze blew against her, coming from the ocean, a beautiful array of stars twinkling in the sky.

"Sarid?"

She looked, seeing Asher out on his balcony, a fence separating them.

"Hello." Sarid told him, feeling odd.

"Beautiful view, huh?" He asked her, smiling.

"Indeed it is." She told him, he going and standing next to the fence that separated them, trying to see into her room.

"What's your room like?"

"Very nice." Sarid told him, having a strange desire to be close to him. "I'm surprised at how they have modern things in such a building. The architecture is at least thirty years old."

"Really?" Asher asked.

"Yes." Sarid told him, walking over to where he was.

"How can you tell?" Asher asked.

"It mostly has more squared, horizontal shapes in it's structure, which went out of style thirty years ago in favor of more pointed, vertical styles."

"Ah."

They stood, looking out over the sea, Sarid still feeling odd and having a desire to be close to him, to where she wished the fence wasn't there to sperate them.

"I'm glad I brought my telescope." Asher said. "I can see the stars here without the trees blocking them out."

"That's true." Sarid agreed, looking down towards the pool. She saw his hand out of the corner of her eye, and found herself wanting to touch it with her own.

She looked away, having mixed feelings about the idea.

"Sarid?"

She looked at him, stiffening when she made eye contact.

"You okay?" He asked.

She stared at him, fighting back an urge to lean into him.

 _Why does he have to be so tall?_ She thought. _I could perfectly fit my head under his chin…which...is a strange thing to observe._

"I'm fine." Sarid told him, breaking eye contact and looking back out to sea. "I was just…thinking."

"About what?" He asked, which made her tense.

"…I was trying to remember what books I brought." Sarid told him.

"Oh." He sounded. "Yeah, I do that a lot too."

"Right…" She said, relaxing some.

There was a loud knock, both of them looking back at their rooms before realizing it was coming from Sarid's.

"I'd best answer the door." Sarid told him. "Sleep well."

"You too!" Asher told her, she feeling odder still as she went back in, sliding the door shut behind her. She went into the sitting room, then to the door, opening it to see Ada standing there.

"Good evening." Sarid said. "What can I do for you?"

"Come with me." Ada told her, smiling.

Sarid blinked, then stepped out of the room and closed the door, following Ada down the hall. They came to the stairs and went up them, to the next floor, and to one of the rooms, which Ada unlocked. They entered, Sarid seeing the rest of the girls in the sitting room area.

"…Is there something I should know?" Sarid asked.

"We just wanted to hang out and talk." Hannah told her, Ada sitting down.

"…Very…well…" Sarid said, confused.

"Come, come! Sit!" Autumn told her, patting the seat next to her. Sarid went and sat down, then looked around, all the girls looking at her.

"…Is something wrong?" She asked.

"No, no…" Sparkle told her. "We…we were just wondering something."

"…Okay…" Sarid said. "…So…what do all of you usually talk about?"

"Well…" Ada said, "we wanted to ask you something."

"…Okay." Sarid said.

"…Hannah, you ask." Esmeralda told Hannah, who was unable to suppress her smile.

"So, Sarid…" Hannah started, "what d'you think of Asher?"

She felt odd.

"He's an amiable fellow." Sarid told her.

"…Is that all?" She asked, she and the other girls smiling, Sarid looking at them.

"…Yes…" Sarid told them.

"Are you sure?" Sparkle asked, the girls getting giddy.

"…Yes." She told them.

"I dunno, you two seem _really_ close." Faye told her.

"…What does that have to do with anything?" Sarid asked.

"…Do you like him?" Hannah asked, the other girls getting excited.

"…He's my friend, so…obviously."

"No, do you _LIKE_ like him?"

"…Again, he's my friend." Sarid told her.

"…" They all stared at her, their faces straight.

"…What?" Saird asked.

"Oh, for the love of – _do you have a crush on him?"_ Autumn asked.

"…" Sarid blinked dumbly, not understanding the slang. "…What is a 'crush'?"

Hannah grabbed Sarid's face, making her look at her.

" _DO YOU HAVE ROMANTIC FEELINGS FOR HIM?!"_ She asked.

"…No…?" Sarid asked, though the odd feeling came to mind.

"…" Hannah sighed, letting go of her head and plopping back in her seat.

"…Wait, do you even know what we mean by romantic feelings?" Faye asked.

"…" Sarid blinked.

"Have you never had feelings for someone?!" Sparkle gasped.

"It's not important at this stage in my life." Sarid told her.

"Fair point." Ada told her.

"True, true…" Esmeralda agreed. "But are you sure you don't have feelings for Asher?"

"Yes." Sarid told her.

"…" The girls sat staring at her, when Sparkle suddenly snapped.

"Have you ever wanted to be close to him?" She asked, Sarid thinking back to just earlier. "Or have trouble looking him in the eye?"

She thought back to the last few days.

 _…No…_

"Sarid…" Ada started, Sarid looking at her, "what do you think about the idea of, oh… _KISSING HIM?!"_

It popped into her mind, his arm around her and his hand on the back of her head, her hands on his chest and his soft lips…

Her eye got intense, looking down at the ground, heat coming to her face.

 _"OHMIGOSH YOU_ _ **DO**_ _LIKE HIM!"_ Sparkle yelled.

"What?!" Sarid asked.

"Do you think about kissing him?!" Hannah asked excitedly.

"Or him holding you?!" Faye asked.

"When are you gonna tell 'em?!" Ada asked.

They crowded her as they asked these things, Sarid squeezing her eyes shut and gripping her head.

 _"ENOUGH!"_ She yelled, standing and they going silent. "I'll not have all of you putting ridiculous thoughts or ideas in my head! Asher is my friend, and that's final!"

Before they could object, Sarid went to the door and opened it, stepping out into the hallway and closing it behind her, then speed walking back to her hotel room. She changed into her pajamas, then got into bed, staring at the drapery above her, through the darkness.

 _Ridiculous thoughts._

 _Asher and I are friends. There is nothing more to it._

Despite this, she felt odd thinking about him.

When she woke the next morning, it was still dark out, though she rose and dressed herself, going down to the beach and running along it, then running back in place of the path she would take on Flint's property. She went up to her room, dried herself and lay on the cold bathroom floor to cool herself, and when she got up the sun had finally risen, a warm glow pushing through the window curtains. She pulled on her t-shirt over her undershirt, then went down to the hotel restaurant, sitting at a table and ordering breakfast. It was served and she ate, then getting up and going back to her room, doing some reading, until late in the morning when there was a knock at her door.

She got up and went to the door, opening it to see the girls standing there.

"…What can I do for you?" Sarid asked.

"We wanted to apologize." Autumn told her.

"Yeah, what we did last night wasn't right." Ada told her.

"We should've just told you we wanted to ask you about Asher." Hannah told her.

"And we shouldn't of tried to get you to admit something." Sparkle said.

"…" Sarid looked at them and their apologetic faces. "…Apology accepted."

"Thank you!" Esmeralda told her, the other girls smiling.

"You want to join us for brunch?" Faye asked her.

"Well, I've eaten breakfast already, but alright." She told them, stepping out of her room and closing the door.

"What? Really?" Sparkle asked.

"Ash did say you're an early bird." Hannah said.

They went down to the restaurant and sat at a table, talking and laughing as they ate, Sarid just eating some fruit. The day passed, Sarid spending time in her room, until it was four in the afternoon. She changed into her swimsuit, a blue one-piece, then put on blue and white swim trunks and a black t-shirt, which she tucked in. She grabbed her towel and goggles, then put on her sandals and went down to the beach, seeing everyone else was already there, wearing their swim suits.

"Sarid!" Sparkle called, waving and wearing a magenta-two piece with pink polka-dots, the bottom piece having a skirt.

"Hello." Sarid told her, setting her things down on one of the beach lounge chairs, shaded by an umbrella.

"Weather's great, huh?" Sparkle asked.

"Yes, it is." Sarid agreed, taking off her sandals.

She looked around, seeing her classmates splashing around in the water. She went to the edge of the water where the sand was wet, scooping up as much as she could and carrying it back, making a foundation for the sand castle she wanted to build.

"Sarid!"

She went stiff, looking and seeing Asher coming over, wearing dull green swim trunks with white horizontal stripes, soaked from the ocean water, which she noticed gleamed off his tan skin.

She shook her head.

"Making your sand castle?" Asher asked.

"Yes, but first I need to make a good foundation for it." Sarid told him.

"D'you want some help?" He asked, kneeling down next to her.

The idea made her strangely happy and nervous.

"…I…suppose…"

"Great!" Asher said. "I'll get some more sand!"

He went to do so, Sarid watching him go. She looked back to her foundation, heat coming to her face.

He came back with an armful of wet sand, which they used to finish the foundation and starting on one of the castle towers. They built two more, when Hannah came over, carrying some shells. She wore a white one-piece with the sides being red.

"Need some decorations?" She asked.

"Oh yeah!" Asher said.

"Very well." Sarid told her, Hannah putting a shell on top of the towers. Sarid and Asher finished the main part of the castle, Hannah putting shells for the windows, then going to get more. Sarid and Asher worked on the back part of the castle, smoothing it out when Asher's hand brushed hers.

Her chest suddenly felt tight and heat came to her face, she suddenly standing.

"Sarid?" Asher asked.

"I'm going to take a break." She told him, going toward the water. He blinked, then shrugged, getting up and running after her. He caught up to her, walking alongside her, she feeling more heat come to her face, quickening her pace and he matched it. She walked faster, when, while confused, he matched, making her walk even faster.

"Sarid?" Asher asked.

She panicked, and instead broke into a run, her feet hitting the water and she kept going deeper, pulling her goggles down and going under the water.

On the shore, Asher blinked dumbly.

The next two hours were taken up by swimming and finishing the sand castle, Sarid then going back up to her room and showering, then putting on her casual clothes and going down to dinner, where everyone else was gathered.

"Sarid, Sarid!" Xanos waved, Sarid going and sitting beside him, Asher across from her, making her feel nervous.

"Man, the beach was great!" Reginald said.

"Yeah!" Crow agreed.

"Th-the w-w-water was n-nice an-and w-warm!" Rooster agreed.

"What should we do this week?" Faye asked.

"Let's have a bonfire!" Hannah said.

"Yeah!" Sparkle agreed.

"In that case, we need to get marshmallows." Xanos told them.

"We can get them from the grocer in town." Esmeralda told them. "There's a lot of good shops in town."

"Is there a book store?" Asher asked.

"Asher, I know you like reading, but you can buy things other than books." Hannah told him.

"I know, but…" He trailed off, not know what else to say.

Sarid merely watched the empty space before her, the food not having come yet. It did, and her classmates spoke of what to do tomorrow, Sarid bidding them goodnight when she finished eating.

As soon as she left the restaurant, she ran up to her room, going in and half slamming the door behind her.

 _WHY WAS I SO NERVOUS?!_ She asked herself. _Nothing was even happening! Asher didn't brush against me, or…_

The thought of him doing so cause heat to come to her face, an involuntary smile spreading across her face.

 _ **GAH! STOP IT!**_

She smacked herself, then tried to focus on the floor.

 _Something is wrong. I need to find out what and fix it._

She remembered the bookstore that had been mentioned.

 _I'll go there, see if they have any books that can explain mental functions and see if it can explain this…or maybe I'm sick? Do I need to see doctor, or…?_

She shook her head, then went and changed into her pajamas, climbing into bed and grabbing her book, opening and reading it.

When she woke the next morning, she got up and went for her run, then cooled off and pulled her shirt on over her undershirt, then went down for breakfast and ate, going back up to her room and practiced with her batons until there was a knock at her door. Putting down her batons she went to the door and opened it, seeing Asher, the nervousness coming back in full swing.

"Asher." She said.

"We're all going into town, wanna come?"

"Yes, thank you." Sarid told him, stepping out of her room and closing the door behind her. They walked down to the lobby, meeting with the rest of the group, and they went and got into carriages, going into town. When they arrived, they split up to each their own, when Sarid felt a tug at her arm, looking to see Autumn.

"Yes?" She asked.

"Come with us!" Autumn told her.

"Where?" She asked.

"Clothes shopping!"

"I don't need any more clothes."

"Just come on! It'll be fun!"

"I need to go to the bookstore."

"Why?" Autumn asked, then getting a teasing look.

"…To find a book, what else?" Sarid told her, confused about her expression.

"Just for that?"

"Yes."

"…"

"…"

"Please?" She asked.

"…" Sarid sighed. _I should probably just see a doctor instead._ "Very well."

"Great!" She said, pulling Sarid along and leading her over to the other girls. They walked into one of the shops, pulling her to the women's section, the released her, Sarid hugging herself.

"C'mon and look, Sarid!" Ada told her, Sarid just standing stiffly where she was. She watched as they searched the racks, Faye's face suddenly lighting up.

"Sarid!" She said, pulling out a sleeveless bright blue dress.

 _"Absolutely not."_ Sarid told her.

"Here's some shoes to go with them!" Hannah said, holding up some black dress sandals.

 _"NO."_ Sarid told them.

"Aw, you'd look great in these!" Esmeralda told her.

"We just want you to try them on, not buy them." Sparkle told her.

 _"NO."_ Sarid told them.

"Pleeease?" Autumn asked her.

"…No."

" _Pleeease?"_ All the girls asked.

"No." Sarid told them.

"Okay, you're immune to peer pressure. Good." Hannah told her. "So saying please won't work…"

Sarid suddenly got an idea.

"You know what? I'll try them on."

"…Really?" Ada asked.

"Yes."

"…Okay…" She said, Sarid taking the dress and sandals. They followed her to the dressing rooms, Sarid going into one and closing the door behind her. She changed, putting on the dress and dress sandals, then looked in the mirror.

She suddenly felt very uncomfortable, as before her was a stranger she had not seen in years.

She quickly changed back, then stepped out of the dressing room.

"You changed again?" Sparkle asked.

"I said I'd try them on." Sarid told her. "I said nothing about letting all of you see me."

"…"

"Well, I'll be going now." Sarid told them.

"No, you gotta try on some more clothes!" Faye urged.

"No." Sarid told her. "I'm perfectly content with the clothes I have now."

Before they could object anymore, she sped walked away, leaving the store and going out into the street. She walked down it, looking through the windows as she walked, coming to a weapons store. Going in, she began browsing, when she saw a kukri knife in a display case, beautifully made.

She marveled at it, the old store keeper walking over.

"Nice knife, ain't it?" He asked.

"It's technically classified as a machete." Sarid told him. "I've only seen these in books…"

"Yea, the feller what sold me this came from the other side'a the world." The storekeeper told her. "Sold me three of them, but I've only sold one. You're the only other person to recognize it."

 _I could get it for the commander…He doesn't have one of these…_

"How much for them?" Sarid asked.

"Well, I've had 'em for years…Tell ya what, I'll sell 'em to ya for twenty silver each."

"May I test it first?" Sarid asked.

"'Course!" He told her, getting out his keys and unlocking the case, picking it up by the handle and handing it to Sarid. She recalled the wielding techniques in her book, and tried to mimic them. After a bit, she looked at it and nodded, then dug around in her bag for the money. She put it on the counter, and he retrieved the other kukri knife from the back, handing it to her.

"Thank you!" Sarid told him. "Have a good day."

"You too, sonny!" The storekeeper told her. She went out onto the street, buckling the kukri to her belt, going back to window shopping. Looking up, she saw Asher walking out of a bookstore, carrying two books under his arm. He saw her and his face lit up, which made her happy, strangely.

"Hey Sarid!" He called, walking over to her.

"Asher." She said.

"What're those?" He asked, pointing to the kukri.

"It's a special kind of knife that actually falls in the machete category." Sarid told him, drawing one, to his amazement. "The way it's made makes it easier for some ways of wielding knives, due to the fact you won't have to move your wrist, and it also make an excellent utility knife."

"Wow…" He sounded. "Oh, I thought you'd like this."

He pulled out one of the books he had under his arm, Sarid taking it and her eyes going wide.

It was a first edition of escrima fighting.

"…This…" She blinked, not knowing what to say. "This is…I don't know what to say, thank you!"

She hugged it to herself, smiling up at him.

"It made me think of you." Asher told her, smiling.

She smiled more at him, then looked down at it, opening it. It showed basic techniques, going onto more advanced as she got farther in the book, then closed it again and hugged it to her.

"This was very kind of you." She told him. "Is there anything I can do for you in return?"

"I passed an ice cream place on the way here." He told her, smiling awkwardly.

"It'd be my pleasure." She told him.

They walked down the street, coming to the ice cream parlor, Asher opening the door and holding it open for her.

"Thank you." She told him, smiling up at him. He blinked, then seemed confused, and then shook his head, walking in after her.

"Hey guys!" Looking, they saw Leo, Reginald and Xanos sitting at a table, each of them having ice cream.

"Hey!" Asher greeted. "Where's Danel, Leo?"

"Looking at some golden jewelry." Leo told him, then holding up at hand as if telling him a secret. "He wanted to find something for Esmeralda."

"Ooooh…" Asher went, Sarid, Reginald and Xanos laughing.

"Well, you can go first, I'll pay for whatever you want." Sarid told him.

"Thanks!" Asher told her, both of them walking over to the counter, looking at the different flavors. "Ooo! They have cookie-dough!"

He got a large cone of it, Sarid getting a large bowl of vanilla with chocolate syrup. They sat with the other boys, talking with them.

"Say, uh, Asher." Reginald said to him. "Would you be upset if I asked Hannah to homecoming?"

"No, but I can tell you she'd turn you down." Asher told him, Sarid, Xanos and Danel laughing.

"What?! Why!?" Reginald asked.

"You slack off in class." Asher told him. "Hannah wants a hardworking, smart man."

"…Ugh…" Reginald said, slumping down in his seat. "I guess I actually have to pay attention during class…"

"That would help substantially." Sarid told him, Asher, Danel and Xanos laughing.

"That would help substantially." Reginald said in a high-pitched, mocking tone.

"I guess I actually have to pay attention during class." Sarid said in a low, mocking tone.

"I will _fight_ you." Reginald told her.

"I'll win." Sarid told him.

"Oooooo!" Asher, Danel and Xanos went.

"…Yeah, you would." Reginald admitted with a shrug.

They laughed.

Later…

Sarid laid on her bed in the hotel room, holding the book that Asher had given her to herself.

 _I'll treasure this._ She thought. _It was so kind of him to do this…_

 _"It made me think of you."_

She felt heat come to her face, and she rolled onto her side, hugging the book tighter. His soft smile and kind eyes came to her mind, and her chest felt strange, happiness filling her.

 _ **GAH!**_

She sat up, shaking her head.

 _What IS this?! Why does this even happen?! Is…is this supposed to be friendship?_

The night of their arrival came to mind, when the girls questioned her on if she had feelings for Asher.

 _…That's ridiculous._

She laid back down.

 _I've only known him for a month and half. Yes, he's friendly and amiable, kind…smart. Child-like, with wonder and eagerness…_

She shook her head.

 _Stop it!_

After a moment, she looked over at the clock, seeing it was almost four. Getting up, she changed into her swimwear, and went down to the beach. When she arrived, she saw her sand castle was still standing, which made her smile, and then put on her goggles and went to the water's edge. Her classmates were splashing and laughing in the ocean waves, she walking into the water, it coming up to her knees, then to her waist, when she heard a splash, water hitting her on her left side, she instinctively closing her eyes.

"Hi Sarid!"

Her chest tightened, she turning head to see Asher. Water dripped from his chin, his chest right in front of her, she able to see the muscles her was starting to get.

She shook her head, then looked up at him, seeing water dripping from his soaked hair.

"Hello." She told him.

He grinned, then turned and dove back into the water. She felt heat come to her face, then shook her head again, pulled her goggles down and dove under the water. Time passed as she swam, enjoying the ocean with her classmates, until it was six, when she went back up to her room, showered, and then went to dinner and ate. After that, she went back up to her room and did some reading, until it was time for bed.

The week went by at an enjoyable pace, she and her classmates finding fun ways to spend the day until they went to the beach, until the last night there.

"BONFIRE! BONFIRE!" They chanted, gathered around a large firepit, which was piled with wood, Danel and Leo stuffing paper into it to help it catch fire. Esmeralda came running toward them, carrying a torch, everyone cheering when they saw her. Danel and Leo stepped back, Esmeralda stopping next to Sarid.

"Sarid, you no doubt have the best arm." She told her. "Will you throw this onto the fire?"

"With pleasure!" Sarid told her, taking the torch. She looked up at the wood mound then, and pulled her arm back, throwing the torch. The flaming tip of it landed right on the top, sinking down into the wood, which lit ablaze. She and her classmates cheered, jumping up and down.

Whittled sticks were handed out, people putting marshmallows or beef franks on them, roasting them around the fire, Sarid roasting her marshmallow until it was a golden brown, pulling it off her stick and eating it, savoring it delicious gooeyness. Asher and Xanos walked by, carrying a roasting spit, which they set up then put different meats on, Asher seasoning them, and then they pushed the spit close to the fire.

She suddenly heard music, and she looked around until she saw Sparkle and Reginald dancing next to a portable music player. Sarid found herself smiling, and swaying to music, everyone else starting to dance as they roasted their food.

After a bit, Asher and Xanos pulled the roasting spit back, the meats done. People gathered around, getting pieces of the meats, Sarid getting sample of each, the very smell making her mouth water. She ate them, finding Hannah had not been lying when she said that Asher was a good cook.

People kept roasting and dancing, Asher joining them now that he was free from the spit. Sarid found herself dancing poorly, but also found that she didn't particularly care.

They danced in the moonlight, when a firework went off in the sky, covering the beach in green light. All of them stopped, looking up at the sky, wondering where it had come from, until the heard Sparkle laugh. More fireworks went off, making brilliant displays of colors, everyone dancing without a care in the world.

Later…

Sarid stood out on the balcony in her pajamas, robe on and rustling in the breeze. It was late, and she was tired, but the view was too beautiful. The moonlight and the sea, the stars in a gorgeous array overhead.

She heard a noise, then looked to see Asher stepping out of his room.

"Good evening."

He jumped some, then looked at her, and he smiled, Sarid feeling her chest tighten.

"Sarid!" He said. "Didja have a good time earlier?"

"Oh yes." Sarid told him. "Did you?"

"Yeah!" He told her, walking over to the fence that divided their balconies. "I wasn't expecting the fireworks, but man, they just added to the fun…"

"Agreed." Sarid told him, smiling up at him though he looked up at the sky.

"…We'll be going back tomorrow, huh?"

"…" Her smile faded, and she looked out at the ocean. "Yes."

"…That's okay." He said, Sarid looking up at him, to see him smiling. "Even though there's Lance, every day is so great at school. We get along and have fun together, and yeah, like I said there's Lance, but then there's you."

He looked at her, she feeling happiness in her and heat on her face.

"You keep him from making the days just a bit worse." He told her. "I'm so happy you're our friend, and that you're you and at our school."

She felt more heat come to her face, her pupils dilating.

"I'm so glad you're here." He told her. "I hope that even after school we'll be friends."

"…" Sarid looked away.

"You okay?" Asher asked.

"…" She smiled some, his words meaning more to her than he realized. "Yes."

She looked up at him, smiling.

"Thank you for your kind words."

His expression changed to one of wondering, and she looked back out to sea. He watched her a moment, then just smiled, looking back out to sea as well.

 _Being here with him…this view…I want it to last._ Sarid thought. _I wish I could rest my head against him._

Nevertheless, they stood together for a long time, until a clock somewhere struck ten, then they bid each other goodnight and went to their rooms, Sarid laying awake and staring into the darkness, feeling odd and happy, but knowing she would hold those moments dear for a long time to come.

* * *

 **AN – Man, I wish high school had been as fun as it is in this story. Like seriously, "High school will be the best four years of your life!" is the biggest lie I've ever been told. Dang liars.**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN – GUESS WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN THIS CHAPTER~!**

* * *

"I'm sorry, but I'm just not interested."

Sarid stood before another girl with wavy blonde hair and brown eyes brimming with tears.

"But…why?" She asked.

"I've no interest in romance, or the dance." Sarid told her. "There's someone for almost everyone out there, but I can tell you I'm not the one for you."

"But…!" She took a breath through her teeth, still upset. "At least give me a chance!"

"…I'm sorry, but no." Sarid told her. She got more upset, then turned and ran off, Sarid sighing.

 _That's the fifth one this week, and it's only Wednesday._

The dance was that Friday, and she had no intention of going, though her classmates had plans to go…

 _…I could spend time with them._ Sarid thought, continuing to walk. _I've come to enjoy their company…Maybe I should go, or…_

She sighed, coming to the lunch spot, where now all of her classmates sat eating lunch with each other.

"Hey Sarid!" Asher called, she feeling a bit of heat come to her face.

"Hello." She greeted, sitting next to him.

"Another girl ask you out?" Xanos asked.

"Unfortunately." Sarid told him.

"Unfortunately?!" Reginald asked, then shaking his head. "I mean, what do you mean?"

"…I can only hurt them." Sarid told him. "I don't know what they see in me anyways. I'm very short for a man."

"That's true." Hannah agreed.

"Well, you're not obligated to return the feeling." Asher told her, she looking at him. "Besides, they really should also accept the fact that you might say no, and that if you do, the world will go on, but instead they hedge all their bets on you saying yes, then you don't so it's extra hard."

"…" Sarid looked down at her food, heat coming to her face.

"That's a good point, Asher." Autumn told him.

"So, are you guys looking forward to the dance?" Faye asked.

"HECK YEAH!" Sparkle yelled.

"We know you are, Sparkle." Leo told her good-humoredly. "I just hope they have good decorations."

"Agreed." Danel told him. "I hope they have streamers of all colors."

They talked a they ate, until it was time to go back, a wind springing up.

"We should probably find somewhere inside to eat." Esmeralda said. "It'll get really cold before we know it."

"Agreed." Crow told her. "The wind is already getting colder."

They discussed it as they walked, coming into Mortimer's math class and sitting in their seats. Mortimer walked in, carrying his teacher's bag under his arm.

"Afternoon, class!" He told them.

"Good afternoon." They told him in unison.

"I hope all of you are ready for the test Friday!"

"What?!" Sparkle exclaims, Reginald groaning.

"I see some of you aren't." Mortimer deadpanned. "Well, better get to studying!"

Class started and they diligently took notes, Sarid finding her mind and eyes drifting over to Asher every now and then, much to her annoyance.

 _Why is this happening?_ She wondered. _I need to see a doctor._

Class finished and they went to English, and after that she and Asher started toward the small gym.

"So, what's your favorite form of martial art?" Asher asked her, she stiffening.

"I'm not sure…Akito, I suppose."

"Yeah, that one's fun." Asher agreed. "You just need to learn to get heavy and then it's a lot easier."

"Yes…" Sarid nodded, looking away slightly.

"You okay?" Asher asked.

"…Yes." She lied.

"…Okay…" Asher said.

"…"

"…So, you going to the dance this Friday?" He asked.

"I'm not sure." Sarid told him. "I'm not much for dances."

"That's okay! We can just hang out." Asher told her. "You don't even have to stay at the dance all night, we can go out on the town!"

"…I'll think about it." Sarid told him, which he took as good news.

They reached the gym and got ready, Flint leading them through stretches, then having them work throws on each other, Sarid filled with nervousness the whole time, until it was time to end.

"Excellent job, you two!" Flint praised, patting them on the back as they went to the bleachers.

"Thank you, Commander." Sarid told him.

"Thank you!" Asher told him, wiping his forehead with a towel.

"What do you two want to do tomorrow?" Flint asked.

"Grappling!" Asher said, Sarid's eyes going wide.

"Kata." Sarid told him.

"Alright." Flint said, wiping the back of his neck with a towel. They finished drying themselves, then put the rest of their clothes back on, Asher heading over to the door he always left through.

"Have a good day!" He called.

"You too!" Flint told him. He went through the doors, Flint looking at Sarid to see she was turned away from it.

"Are you alright, Sarid?" He asked.

"…No sir, I'm not." Sarid told him. His brows furrowed up with worry, and he went to her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked.

"…Not here." She told him. He nodded, and they finished dressing themselves, then went out their usual door, going to their carriage and climbing into it, Flint pulling the door shut behind them. They sat, and the carriage started up, going down the road. They arrived at the estate and went in and Flint led her to his study, where they sat on the sofa in it.

"What's troubling you?" He asked her.

"…" She took a breath. "I…I still feel…odd. Around Asher."

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"…I…I feel happy when I see him, but also…nervous." She told him. "Sometimes my chest tightens, other times heat comes to my face, I've found myself wanting to be close to him, and…I keep…wanting to look at him and think about him and…"

She shook her head.

"I want this to stop." She told him. He said nothing, which made her look up at him, to see a look of inexplicable happiness on his face.

"…Commander?" She asked, he then grabbing her by the shoulders.

"You _DO_ like him!" He told her.

"…Well…yes, he's my friend."

"No, I mean romantically!"

 _ **"WHAT?!"**_

"You're romantically interested in him!" He told her. "That's great! He's such a fine young man, I'm glad it's him and-"

 _ **"I'M**_ _ **WHAT?!**_ _ **"**_ Sarid asked.

"…You're romantically interested in Asher?" He asked.

"…" She slowly turned her head away, staring intensely into nothing.

She grabbed her head, then stood up and moved away, going and standing before the fireplace.

"…Sarid?" He asked.

"…No!" Sarid said. "I can't – I – I'm not – I don't…I'm not."

"Yes, y-"

"No!" Sarid told him, looking at him. "I'm not interested him in any way other than as a friend!"

"But Sarid-"

"No! I…I am not romantically interested in him!"

She ran from the study, and out of the manor, Flint calling her name. She kept running despite this, and ran along the path onto the property, not stopping until she had reached the half-way point. Her chest heaved and she sat on a large rock, panting.

 _I don't like him like that. I don't like him like that. I don't like him like that._

He came to her mind, his eyes, his smile, his voice, the idea of his arms around her…

She let out a yell of frustration, grabbing her head.

 _I DON'T LIKE HIM LIKE THAT!_

 _NO MATTER WHAT ANYONE SAYS, HE IS JUST A FRIEND!_

 _That's all he'll ever be._

She sat, gripping her head and staring intensely at the ground between her feet, when the sky darkened, she getting up and walking along the path at a slow pace, hands in her pockets. It was well after sunset by the time she reached the manor, and she knew that Flint would be waiting in the foyer for her.

Going around to the garden, she went to where her room was, up on the second story. There was a window beneath it, she putting her foot up on the edge, then pushed herself up, grabbing onto the decorative edge that went around the window. She pulled herself up and reached up, grabbing onto the floor of the terrace outside her room. Her other hand grabbed onto it, pulling herself up to grab the railing, then up more so that she climbed over the railing and stepped down onto the terrace.

She let out a breath, then went to the French doors, opening one of them and stepping in, closing it behind her. Finding her way through the dark, she went to the door and found the light switch beside it, turning on the light, then turned around and jumped.

There, sitting on the sofa, was Flint.

"C-commander…?" She asked.

"I did the same thing once upon a time." He told her plainly.

"…Oh."

He got a worried look.

"Sarid, I know you don't like the idea, but that's no reason to run from it!"

"Yes it is!" She told him. "I…I don't _want this!_ "

"…" He sighed, standing and going to her. "Sarid. It may not last."

"What?" She asked.

"It could very well pass." He told her.

Her eyes went wide.

"…How? How do I get it to pass?!" She asked, grabbing his shoulders.

"You can't." He told her. "If it passes, it will pass on it's own."

"'If'?"

"It may not pass either." Flint told her.

"…" Her eyes widened more, she looking down.

"Either way, it's up to you whether or not to pursue it." Flint told her.

"…There's nothing to pursue." She told him. "I don't like him that way."

"…" He sighed again, his brows furrowing up. "…If you say so."

He walked past her, Sarid hugging herself and squeezing her eyes shut. Flint reached the door and stepped out of the room, looking back at her, then closed the door, leaving Sarid alone. She put her face in her hands, taking a deep breath.

 _I don't like him that way._

 _I never will._

She slept poorly that night, getting up and going for her morning run, which turned into a walk due to her exhaustion. Upon returning she changed into her uniform, then going down for breakfast. Flint was clearly worried upon seeing her and the bags under her eyes, though she said nothing during the meal or ride to the school.

As soon as she walked into Pip's class, she saw something from the corner of her eye, smacking it away.

There was Lance, with his fist out to the side and his eyes wide.

"…" Sarid blinked, then walked over to her desk, sat down and put her head on the top of it.

"S-Sarid?" She heard Rooster ask, though she kept her head down, hearing her classmates shuffle around her.

"Are you okay?" Autumn asked.

"…Hmn." She hummed.

"You're not sick, are you?" Hannah asked.

She felt a hand against her forehead.

"She's not warm." Asher said.

She suddenly tensed, not knowing what to do, as she was torn between swatting his hand away and letting it stay.

"Are you not sleeping well?" Sparkle asked.

"How would he not sleep well?" Reginald asked. "He works out all the time, he's gotta be exhausted by the time he gets to bed!"

"…AAAH!" Esmeralda screamed.

"What? What's wrong?" Danel asked her.

Sarid heard nothing then, though Pip rushed in.

"Who screamed?" He asked.

"Esme did." Ada told him.

"What for?" He asked.

"…I…uh…forgot…my homework!" She told him.

"…Well, you'd best study extra tonight then." Pip told her.

"Yes sir." She told him.

"Well, everyone to your seats, it's almost time to start." He told them, everyone shuffling to their seats.

The day seemed longer than normal, Sarid nodding in and out during classes, much to her annoyance. Lunch time came, Sarid walking with her classmates, when someone grabbed her arm.

Reflexively, she swept her arm up and around, pushing the person over so that they were bent over and in a painful position.

"OW!" Sparkle went, Sarid seeing it was her.

"Sparkle?" She asked.

The others had stopped, looking back.

"Are you okay?!" Leo asked, Sarid releasing her and she rubbing her shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine…" She told him. "I just need to talk to Sarid for a moment."

"Oh…okay." Leo said.

"You know, I forgot something back in the classroom." Hannah told them. "I'm going to run get it really quick."

"I'll go with ya." Ada told her.

"Me too!" Esmeralda said.

"Me three!" Autumn said.

"I guess I'll have to join then." Faye told them.

"Alright, we'll see all of you at the lunch spot." Crow told them and they kept on walking.

After they rounded the corner, the girls crowded around Sarid.

"You DO like Asher!" Hannah told her, she looking at her.

"What on Earth makes you think that?" She asked.

"You tensed when he touched your forehead!" Sparkle told her.

"And you didn't sleep last night, which can happen to people who like someone!" Autumn told her.

"…" Sarid sighed, too tired to get mad. "Listen. I'll tell you the truth: Asher and I are friends. That's all we are, that's all we'll ever be."

"But you shouldn't deny it!" Esmeralda told her.

"I'm not denying anything." Sarid told her. "I'm merely stating the truth."

She turned and started to walk away, the girls watching her.

"But Sar-"

"Please." Sarid said, cutting Autumn off. "Don't try to put ideas in my head."

She ate by herself in Mortimer's classroom.

The rest of the day passed, though she tried to run through her katas while Flint and Asher grappled. She found herself having difficulty focusing, as her mind kept going to Asher.

"Alright, that's enough for today." Flint said when it was time to stop.

"Yes sir." Asher told him, both of them getting up from the mats. Sarid finished her kata, then lumbered over to the bleachers, putting her shirt on, as she hadn't the energy to put into the katas, meaning she hadn't gotten sweaty.

"Are you okay, Sarid?" Asher asked her.

"I just need sleep." She told him.

"Oh…" Asher sounded.

"If you try expending enough energy, it might get you to sleep." Flint told her.

"…" Sarid blinked, thinking. _If I go and do some dancing at the dance, that would get me to expend more energy and I'd be able to sleep._

"Just a thought." Flint told her.

"Well, I'll see you both tomorrow!" Asher told them. "I hope you can get some sleep, Sarid."

"…Thank you." Sarid told him, though not looking at him. She heard the gym door open, then a pause, and the door closed.

"He's worried about you, you know." Flint told her.

"His concern is not necessary." Sarid told him. "I just need sleep and for this odd feeling to pass."

Flint frowned some, though did not comment.

They rode back to the estate, Sarid going up to her room and changing when they got there. She went back down to supper, which she picked at, then went up to her room and studied, her mind continuously going to Asher, though she was too tired to get frustrated. After sundown, she went to bed, getting some sleep.

The next day went by, Sarid able to function better, though her mind still kept going to Asher. They finished in Merlyn's class, everyone leaving to go to lunch.

"So, should we eat in the classroom?" Autumn asked.

"Yeah…It's getting too cold to eat outside." Crow told her.

"Agreed." Danel told them.

"So who's going to the dance tonight?" Hannah asked.

"I am!" Asher cheered, Sarid looking away a bit.

"Me too." Reginald said.

"It's gonna be great!" Sparkle cheered.

"Yeah!" Leo agreed.

They reached the classroom and went in, sitting down and eating. After lunch was over, Mortimer came in and class started with a test, Sarid finishing right after Asher. She sat at her desk, working in her architecture notebook, when a folded piece of paper landed on her desk, her name written on it.

It was Asher's hand writing.

Heat rushed to her face, and she unfolded it.

 _ **Are you going to the dance?**_

 _I…Yes, I can expend energy dancing which would help me sleep better._

 _ **Great! I'll see you there!**_

 _Very well._

 _ **Did you know that if you took all the bones of a human body, you'd have enough to make an entire skeleton?**_

 _Heh._

They passed the note back and forth, making jokes, until the bell rang, everyone getting up and going to English. It went by and finished, Sarid and Asher walking to the small gym.

"So what're you looking forward to about the dance?" Asher asked.

"When I get to leave." Sarid told him.

"…Oh." Asher sounded sadly, Sarid internally cringing.

"I mean…I'm just not one for such occasions."

"Oh." Asher sounded again, though not sadly. "…Well, at least we get food."

"That's true." Sarid said.

They reached the small gym, going in and getting ready. They stretched with Flint, then ran through katas the whole time, then dried themselves, Asher bidding them goodbye and they left, going back to the estate. Sarid changed into her casual clothes, then practiced her shooting and archery, as well as her escrima, then showered and got ready for the dance, putting on her suit.

It was navy, with a navy tie and powder blue shirt, Sarid putting on her formal coat, which was black and stretched down to her knees.

There was a knock at her door.

"Come in!" She called, buttoning up her coat when Flint stepped in.

"You look nice." He told her.

"Thank you." Sarid told him.

"Well, the carriage is waiting for you." Flint told her. "Have a good time."

"Yes sir, thank you."

He smiled some, patting her on the shoulder.

She went down to the carriage, climbing into it and it started off, she looking out the window at the lake, which the full moon reflected off beautifully. After some time, she arrived, stepping down out of the carriage, and going to the doors, where she paid to get in. Her coat was left with the door man, and she went into the large gym.

There were colorful streamers, purple, blue and dark pink strung about, balloons of the same colors covering parts of the floor, a long table with food and drinks stretching across one of the walls. Colorful lights shone down and moved in circular patterns, people dancing to the music that was playing. Sarid walked out onto the floor, looking around.

"Sarid!"

She looked, seeing Esmeralda in a purple, sleeveless dress.

"Oh, Esmeralda." Sarid said, then noticing the golden necklace around her neck with gorgeous emeralds embedded in it. "That's a lovely necklace."

"Danel got it for me!" She told her, then looking down at it, color coming to her face. "It was really sweet of him…"

Sarid thought back to Asher buying her the escrima book, then quickly shook her head.

"It sounds like it." Sarid told her.

"Esme! Sarid!" Danel called, they both looking to see Danel walking over with Leo.

Danel wore a dark purple suit with a medium blue shirt and a golden tie, Leo wearing a red suit with a black shirt and a white tie.

"Hello." Sarid told them.

"Good to see that you decided to come!" Leo told her.

"Come, join us!" Danel told her, waving a hand. Esmeralda took her by the arm and pulled her along, the four of them walking over to the group.

"Sarid!" Asher said, smiling upon seeing her, making heat come to her face. He wore a dark green suit with a medium green tie and a white shirt.

"Hello." Sarid told him.

"I'm glad to see you came!"

"…" She looked away. "Thank you."

"You okay?" He asked.

"Yes." Sarid told him.

Music started to play.

 _"Oh don't you dare look back,_

 _Just keep your eyes on me,_

 _I said 'you're holding back',_

 _She said 'shut up and dance with me'!"_

People flooded the floor, dancing about, Sarid seeing Danel and Esmeralda, Leo and Sparkle and Autumn and Xanos going out in pairs and dancing with their partner, while the Greenhorn brothers danced with each other, Ada danced solo and Reginald kept trying to get Hannah to dance with him, but to no avail, and so they danced solo.

"You gonna dance, Sarid?" Asher asked.

"…I suppose." She said.

"Then let's go!" Asher told her, taking her by the elbow and leading her out onto the floor. She felt heat rush to her face, and they went out onto the floor, Asher starting to dance while Sarid stood amongst the dancers.

 _…I really need to learn how to dance._ She thought. After a moment, she began to move, loosening up as she did it more, though really she was just trying to mimic Asher, which she found easy to do.

 _It's like mimicking Commander Flint when he taught me fighting stances._ She thought.

Halfway through the song, however, Asher went crazy, freestyling, which she could not mimic and so she just tried doing the same herself. After a bit he went back to easier to follow, and she did the same, until the song finally ended, they in the pose, one arm up in the air, the other down like in a downward block, down on one knee.

Sarid then heard people cheer, she looking up and around to see that everyone had backed away, leaving her and Asher on the floor. Heat rushed to her face and she got up and quickly walked off, going out into one of the dark hallways, moonlight streaming through the windows.

 _What in the world was that all about?_ She wondered. _That was embarrassing, especially since I can barely dance, and-_

 _…_

 _Asher._

 _I was dancing with Asher._

 _…_

She internally screamed, her eyes staring down at the floor before her intensely.

"Sarid?"

She jumped some, looking back and seeing Asher standing at the door.

"…Asher." She said.

"You okay? You just…left, and…"

"I'm not a good dancer, so the idea of people watching me dance is…uncomfortable." She told him.

"Oh…" He sounded, then shifting awkwardly some. "I, uh, have a favor to ask."

"Yes?"

"Could you show me the waltz?" He asked.

"…You don't know it?"

"Well, I didn't need to before, but uncle told me that he wants me to know it for when I meet a girl I wanna court." He told her.

"Oh." Sarid sounded. "Very well. It's fairly simple."

"Great!" Asher said, then striding over to her.

"…Yes?" Saird asked, confused.

"…You said you'd show me the waltz."

"…Oh. Yes, right…" She said, looking away as heat came to her face. "Right…well, let's get started then…"

"Alright!" Asher said, standing before her. She looked at him, seeing his chest, then held up her hands.

"Since you're going to be leading, take my hand in yours and…put your other arm on my waist." Sarid told him, Asher doing so, and she felt more heat come to her face.

She talked him through it, both of them looking down at their feet as Sarid instructed him. He picked it up quickly, able to do it without stepping on her feet.

"H-hold on, you're moving too fast." Sarid told him.

"Sorry." He told her apologetically, slowing down.

In the gym, she heard a soft song start to play.

 _OF COURSE! Even the music wants to try and misinterpret our friendship!_

She stood with her brows furrowed down, glaring at his chest.

"…Sarid?" Asher asked.

"Yes?" She asked.

"Are you okay?" He asked. "You look…mad."

"…" She sighed. "It's nothing. Just some silly nonsense is all."

"Oh…uh, okay." He told her, though he kept looking at her with a slightly worried expression, which made her chest feel tight.

 _Since when is his gaze able to do that?_

She looked up at him, making eye contact.

 _…Were his eyes always such a pretty brown?_

"Hey Sarid." Asher said.

"Yes?"

"Did you know melons can only have legitimate marriages?" He asked.

"…No…?"

"Y'know why?"

"Why?"

"Because the cantaloupe." He told her.

"…Oh. OH!" She sounded, then laughing, Asher laughing along, when Sarid's foot hit his, causing them to stumble. Asher caught her, heat coming to her face from his arms around her, and he stood her up.

"Thank you." Sarid told him.

"You're welcome. Wanna take a break?" He asked.

"Yes, that sounds nice." She told him, going to the wall and sitting down against it, looking out the large window at the glowing moon. Asher sat beside her, and they sat, looking out at the moon.

"So, would you wanna come over and stargaze again?" Asher asked.

"Yes, that sounds nice." Sarid told him. _Despite the odd feeling and people's accusations, I should still spend time with him. He's my friend._

"Great!" Asher said, looking at her, she looking at him. He smiled warmly, then looked back out the window, the moonlight making his face look soft and his eyes softer.

Sarid watched him, her eyes going to his lips, the fullness of them and how they looked good with his face, as some people looked better with thin lips, though his complimented the softness of his face. She thought of leaning against him, resting her head against his shoulder, but that would no doubt make things awkward. Through the wall, she could hear the song now playing.

 _"Stop and stare…_

 _I think I'm moving but I go nowhere…"_

Still she looked at him, and suddenly-

 _I want to kiss you._

She thought about it, the softness of his lips on hers, his arms around her and her hands on his chest…

Her eyes went wide.

 _…No._

 _NO._

She looked away, taking in a shaky breath.

"Sarid?" Asher asked, noticing.

"I need to go." Sarid told him, getting up and walking away hastily.

"Sarid?" Asher asked, though she walked faster, going into the gym and rushing across the floor, getting her coat and putting it on as she ran to her carriage. She scrambled into it, the driver whipping the reins and the carriage starting off, Sarid looking out the window to see Asher standing at the doors, she looking away.

They arrived back at the manor, Sarid clambering down out of the carriage, running to the front doors and opening one, stepping in and closing it behind her.

"Ah, Sarid." Flint said, sitting in the foyer chair. "How was the…Sarid? Sarid!"

She rushed up to her room, closing the door behind her and then flicking on the lights, leaning back against the door.

She took deep, even breaths, staring at the fireplace in the far wall. Slowly, she walked toward it, then speedily turned around, her coat billowing around her, and then walked back toward the door at a hasty speed, holding her head in her hands, then turned again, starting to pace back and forth.

A knock sounded at the door, she jumping some.

"Y-yes?" She asked.

"Is everything alright, Sarid?" Flint asked through the door.

"…No sir." Sarid told him, looking down at the floor.

"May I come in?" He asked.

"Yes sir." She told him. The door opened and he stepped in, Sarid now seeing he was dressed for bed, slippers on his feet and robe tied around his waist.

"What's troubling you?" He asked her.

"…I…" She stood staring at the ground, then began to shake.

"Sarid?" He asked, rushing over to her, she putting her head in her hands.

"I…I…A-Asher…"

"What about him?"

"…I…I want…wanted…" She lowered her hands, to show she was on the verge of tears. "I wanted to kiss him."

Flint blinked, surprised, then hugged her, she hugging him back.

They stood hugging for a time, Flint slightly rocking her back and forth. Flint knew he had to choose and say his words with care, making it a bit more difficult.

"…May I ask why that upsets you? Most people just panic." He told her.

"I – I don't…" She lifted her head, tears streaming from her eyes. "I…I don't _want_ to like him like this! I just want us to stay friends and…just go through life, I didn't ever plan on having romantic relations with anyone, I just wanted to graduate and become an architect, but now, now I…I don't know, I just…!"

Flint took her face in his hands, she looking at him with tears in her eyes.

"…" He hugged her again, and she hugged him back.

"I…I don't know what to do…" She told him.

"…You need to calm yourself, first." He told her. She nodded, then pulled her head back, wiping her tears from her eyes. "Now, aside from this not fitting into your plans for life, why is this upsetting? Is he a bad man?"

"N-no sir…quite the opposite…"

"Has he done anything hurtful to you or anyone else that you know of?"

"N-no sir…"

"Can he take care of himself?"

"Yes sir, he…he's smart, and Hannah said he can cook…"

"Then it sounds like you have feelings for a good man." Flint told her. "And, you yourself know better than to get your hopes up, and you don't even have to pursue these feelings if you don't want to. He may not even return them."

She nodded.

"…That…that last idea…upsets me somewhat." She told him.

"Yes, but that's up to him. He's not obligated to return the feelings."

"…And if he doesn't, the world will go on." Sarid said.

"Exactly." Flint told her. He led her over to the sofa and they sat, he holding Sarid, her head on his chest. "Now, I know this is difficult. This is your first time having feelings like this…and it's hard trying to understand them…How do you feel?"

"…Afraid…confused…anxious…" She told him.

"I understand." He told her. "But like I told you before, these feelings may very well pass."

"…What if they don't?" Sarid asked.

"…Then I guess it's true love." He told her.

"…" She blinked, curling up against him. "I don't want to be in love."

"Well, love is more a commitment than anything." He told her. "If you ask couples if they have always, always felt like they were in love with their partner, even in healthy relationships, they'll say no. Love is not just the warm fuzzies you get when you look at them, it's time, effort and patience. It's discussion rather than argument, give rather than take, and us rather than me. But true love will always be worth it, being able to grow with someone you love and who loves you back…It'll always be worth it."

"…" Sarid blinked, then nodded. "Yes sir."

"…If you ever need to talk, or have questions, just come and see me." He told her, she sitting up.

"Yes sir, thank you." She told him. He smiled at her.

"If it's any consolation…I'm glad it's Asher."

She nodded.

He smiled more at her, then kissed her forehead.

"Well, it's late. Try and get some sleep and like I said, if you have any questions or want to talk, come see me."

She nodded again, and he got up, going to the door. He looked back at her, and she sat, deep in thought. Stepping out, he closed the door behind him, Sarid wiping her eyes again, then going and getting ready for bed, climbing into bed and staring into the dark, deep in thought.

* * *

 **AN – Oh, Sarid, you're in too deep. I think.**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN – NOW ONTO AWKWARDNESS!**

* * *

Sarid stood outside of Pip's history class, staring at the floor.

 _I can't go in. Asher will talk to me. I won't be able to say anything, or even look at him…_

"Sarid?"

She looked, seeing Pip with his teacher's bag under his arm.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"…I'm…I'm just thinking." Sarid told him.

"Just don't overthink." Pip told her. "Anyhow, class is about to start."

"Yes sir." She said, walking into the classroom after him.

"What's the matter, Sarid?" Lance asked smugly. "Did Mr. Pip have to reprimand you for something?"

She ignored him, going to her desk, which irritated him. Everyone else went and sat in their desks, Pip starting the day's lecture. When class ended, she grabbed her things and sped walked out of the classroom, going to Merlyn's room, then past it, around the corner where she hid until right before it was time for class, then she went in and sat at her station, keeping her head turned away from Asher. After class, she grabbed her things and sped walked out again, going the opposite direction of Mortimer's class, sitting and eating lunch alone in the hallway.

The lunch break ended, she going to Mortimer's class at a slow pace, getting to it right before class started, and she sat in her seat. English was after, she doing the same thing she had done before Merlyn's class. When class ended, she gathered her things and sped walked to another one of the school's small gyms, where she trained by herself. When she finished, she dried herself off and buttoned her shirt back up over her undershirt, then her vest and tie and then her coat, grabbing her bag and leaving the gym, walking over to where the carriage was, and where Flint was waiting.

"Sarid." Flint said when she approached.

"Hello Commander." She told him.

"Where were you? You had Asher and I worried." He told her, her chest tightening at Asher's name.

"…I…I trained elsewhere." Sarid told him.

"Why?" Flint asked her.

"…I…I just…I can't face Asher."

"…Oh." Flint sounded. "…Well, he's worried about you, you know."

She looked down, heat coming to her face.

"…Yes sir." She said. Flint got a somewhat worried expression, then reached out and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Well, let's go home." He told her. She nodded and climbed aboard the carriage, Flint getting in behind her. They rode back to the estate, Sarid looking out the window, her mind turning to thoughts of Asher.

 _I don't want him to worry, but I can't face him, either._

An idea came to mind.

Later…

"Could you please connect me to the Washington household, over in Starry Heights?" Sarid asked, talking into the phone transmitter.

"Of course, please wait a moment sir." The woman at the telephone exchange told her. She stood, waiting, when there was a click.

"Washington household, how may I help you?" A man's voice asked.

"May I please speak to Asher?" Sarid asked.

"Please hold sir." The man told her. After moment, there was another click.

"Hello?" Asher asked, Sarid going stiff.

"…Asher." Sarid said.

"Sarid!" Asher said, his voice lighting up. "How are you?"

"…I'm fine."

"…You sure?"

"Yes, I'm just calling to tell you that I'm sorry for making you worry, and that there's no reason to worry…I just…need some solitude for some time." She told him.

"Oh, uh…o-okay." He said.

"Very well. Goodbye."

"Uh…bye."

Sarid hung up then, letting out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding in.

 _…It'd be best not to pursue these feelings._

So she didn't.

It was difficult, as Asher would stand outside the classrooms, waiting for her until it was time for class, he tried to pull her into conversations during chemistry, Sarid feeling guilt and pain when she was curt with him. She avoided him at training, as she trained elsewhere, and when he would call the estate she told the servant who told her about the call to tell him she wasn't home, which they did reluctantly.

She would stare out the window at lunch by herself, watching the leaves drift from the barren trees, the bleak and cold world suddenly very understandable, as she was feeling the same way, cold and lonely.

As well, she avoided her classmates, no longer going to the gatherings but instead staying home, curled up by the fireplace, unable to read while her hot chocolate grew cold on the side table beside her, her mind swamped with thoughts of her current predicament and what on earth to do, as she felt more and more guilty for avoiding Asher, who had done nothing wrong to deserve such behavior from her.

The trees were barren and held the first snow, the world wrapped in a cold blanket of white, Sarid still going for her morning runs through the freezing air, a scarf wrapped around her face to keep the cold air from hurting her lungs. She still trained in a separate gym, and it was the last day of the semester before winter break when she was walking to the carriage, the snow crunching under her feet when she was halfway down the walkway to the carriage, a hand touching her shoulder.

Looking back, she felt her chest tighten and eyes go wide, seeing Asher.

Like her and all the other students, he wore the over coat, navy with the insignia over the heart, stretching down to his knees. He had a small smile on his face, which made her happy.

"I've been looking everywhere for you." He told her.

"…" She looked away, he getting a worried look.

"Did I do something?" He asked. "Or…did I not do something?"

"No." Sarid told him. "I…It's nothing for you to worry about."

"…O-okay…" He said, then digging around in his bag. She looked at him as he did so, when he pulled out a box with blue wrapping and a silver bow. "I got you this for Yuletide."

"…" She hesitantly reached for it, then pulled her hands back. "I can't."

"Huh?" He asked. "I…I though you'd like it, if you don't that's fine, but-"

"No, I…" She started, looking away, "…I…"

She took a breath.

 _This is the best for the both of us._

"…I want…" She looked at him. "I want to terminate our friendship."

He stood with a blank look on his face, lips barely parted.

He dropped the gift, his arm hanging down by his side.

"…" He said nothing, but his brows slowly furrowed up, tears springing to his eyes.

"…" She looked away.

Asher hiccupped, then took a breath, then turned and ran, leaving the gift in the snow. Sarid stood a moment before getting upset herself, putting a fist to her forehead, pain in her chest.

"Sarid!" She heard Flint call, followed by crunching footsteps rapidly approaching. "Sarid, what happened?"

"…" Sarid took a breath, then turned to him and hugged him, crying on his shoulder. He held her and rocked her slightly, holding her head with his hand. It was normal for Sarid to let her hair grow out to about shoulder length before cutting it short again in the spring, her hair right now held back in a short ponytail by a blue ribbon.

"Sarid…" Flint said, drawing back so that he looked at her. "What happened?"

"…I…I told…told him that I…I wanted…I wanted to t-terminate our friendship." She told him, more tears coming to her eyes.

"Sarid…" Flint told her, eyes wide with worry. "Why?"

"…I thought it was for the best." She told him. Flint let out a small sigh, then hugged her again, letting her cry a moment longer.

"…Let's go home." He told her, she nodding. He bent down and picked up the gift that Asher had dropped, and they walked to the carriage, getting into it. Sarid sat beside Flint, curling up against him, and he put his arm around her, idle tears streaming from her face. They arrived at the estate, Flint taking her in and they sat in his study before the fireplace, Flint stroking her face while she leaned against him.

For the break she moped around the manor, spending most days lying in bed, picking at her food, not even wanting Burn's still-warm-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookies, her Yuletide gifts remaining unopened, and Flint and the servants thought it inappropriate to open their own with her in such a mood.

Finally, Flint went to her room, the fire place crackling and Sarid curled up in bed.

"Sarid?" He asked.

"…" She didn't even blink.

He sighed some, going and sitting on the foot of the bed.

"Sarid, you can't keep moping about like this." He told her. "It's not healthy. I don't want you to spend goodness knows how long like this."

"…I deserve it." She final said, rolling over so she faced away from him.

"Sarid." Flint said. "If you feel like you've done something wrong, you need to make it right."

"…"

"…" Flint sighed, when there was a knock at the door. He looked up, seeing Greg standing at the door, looking worried.

"Yes?" Flint asked.

"There are some young ladies here to see Master Sarid." He told him.

"Thank you, Greg." Flint told him, then looking at Sarid. "I'll be back in a moment."

He got up, going to the door and Greg stepping out of the way, Flint looking back at Sarid one last time before closing the door. He walked down to the foyer, where he saw Sarid's classmates, Hannah, Sparkle, Ada, Autumn, Faye and Esmeralda.

"Hello." Flint told them. "How can I-"

"Where's Sarid?" Hannah asked.

"…He…She's up in her room." He told her.

"Where's that?" Hannah asked.

"Upstairs, but-"

"Look, I'm here to give Sarid a piece of my mind for treating Asher like she has!" Hannah told him. "She has no right to treat him like she has when all Asher has done is be nice to her!"

"I can tell you she's very upset." Flint told her.

"That's not an apology." Hannah told him, then walking past him, the other girls following. He followed them, and led them to Sarid's room, Hannah going over to Sarid's bed and pulling back the covers, Sarid laying there in her pajamas.

"Sarid!" Hannah told her, grabbing her by the front of her shirt, pulling her up, though her eyes were vacant. "You're going to apologize to Asher for what you've done! All he's done the entire break is mope around the house, and you don't even have a reason for-"

"I do." Sarid told her, making her blink with surprise.

"…You do?" She asked, then getting skeptical. Flint approached them, wrenching Sarid from Hannah's hands, helping Sarid to sit up by sitting next to her.

"What's your excuse?" Autumn asked.

"Yeah! Asher's a sweetheart!" Ada told her.

"He didn't do anything!" Esmeralda said.

"But I did something." Sarid told them.

"…" They exchanged looks.

"…What did you do?" Hannah asked.

"…" Tears sprang to her eyes. "I…I have…I like him. More than a friend."

"…" Their eyes went wide, Sarid putting her face into Flint's shoulder.

"That…That's great!" Sparkle said.

"Yeah!" Ada cheered.

"Oh, we've got to get you two together!" Esmeralda said.

"Yeah, yeah!" Autumn agreed.

"W-wait, wait a minute!" Hannah told them. "Sarid…why are you so upset then? And why did you break off your friendship with Asher?"

"…I…" She leaned forward, grabbing her head, Flint putting his hand on her shoulders. "I didn't _WANT_ TO!"

"What?" Hannah asked.

"I didn't ever want to fall in love, it just wasn't in my plans, but now…Now what?!" She looked up at them, tears streaming from her eyes. "I'm stuck with these feelings I don't want! And Asher…believe me, I didn't want to hurt him, but what was I supposed to do?!"

She got up and walked around the bed, staring at the fireplace, thinking of the girls she had turned away.

"…I only hurt people with romantic feelings." Sarid told them. "And what of my real gender? Would he feel betrayed that I didn't tell him, that I let him believe I was a boy? I just…I want him, but I also don't, so…it was just best to let these feelings pass and move on…"

"…" They watched her silently, and she went back and sat on the bed, opposite Flint, who reached out and put a hand on her back.

"…Sarid." Hannah said, Sarid looking at her. "If you're _this_ upset about hurting Asher, and the feelings haven't passed yet, then they may not pass."

"It's only been three weeks." Sarid told her, looking back forward. "They still may pass."

"… _SO?!_ " Sparkle suddenly asked, everyone looking at her. "You and Asher are the same age, separate by a few months but the same age! He's upset, you're upset, obviously _something_ needs to be done, otherwise it'll just make things hard for both of you, and why would this _not_ be worth pursuing?!"

"…It wouldn't work out." Sarid told her.

" _So?"_ She asked again. "That's no reason not to try! Neither of you are in a romantic relationship and you're the same age! If nobody did anything because of failure, we'd still be in the stone age!"

"Yeah!" Ada agreed. "And just because you have feelings for him doesn't mean you should sever all ties with him! Even if it doesn't work out, having a best friend is still a great thing, and heck, you two might grow closer platonically even if the romantic part doesn't work out!"

"…" Sarid looked at them, then at Flint, who had a small smile on his face.

"They're right, you know." He told her. "While it is up to you whether or not to pursue it, it shouldn't stop you two from being friends."

"…" She looked away, then down at the ground. "…What do I do?"

"Tell him you're sorry!" Autumn told her. "And then go from there! You'll make up and then just keep being friends, and when the time is right, you tell him _why_ you did what you did!"

 _…I should tell him I'm a girl._ She thought. _That would explain everything._

"…Would…would telling him I'm a girl explain everything?" She asked.

"Not quite." Flint told her. "You'd still have to explain your feelings."

"…" She looked down. "…I'd have to tell him anyway, otherwise he'd think I'm a sodomite."

"That's true." Flint admitted.

"Then call him! Apologize!" Esmeralda told her.

"…What do I even say?" Sarid asked.

"Tell him you're sorry." Hannah told her. "Tell him you wronged him and that you're sorry, and that you do still want to be friends."

"What of my explanation?" Sarid asked, looking at her.

"…Tell him it'll be explained when school starts back." She told her.

"…" Sarid looked down, then at the floor before her feet. "…I don't want him to hurt anymore."

"Then let's go!" Esmeralda said, rushing around the bed and pulling her up.

"Mr. Flint, where's the nearest phone?" Hannah asked Flint.

"Just down the hall." He told her. "I'll show you."

He led them from the bedroom to the phone on an end table down the hall, the girls putting Sarid before it.

She stared down at the phone, then hesitantly reached out to it, picking it up. She picked up the receiver and put it to her ear, speaking into the transmitter.

"Could you please connect me to the Washington house in Starry Heights?" She asked.

"Yes sir, one moment please." The woman at the exchange told her. She waited, when she heard a click.

"Washington residence, how may I help you?" A man asked.

"I…I need to speak to Asher, please."

"One moment, sir."

She waited, the girls watching her anxiously.

"…Hello?" Asher asked, Sarid feeling a stabbing pain from the sadness in his voice.

"I'm sorry." She told him.

"Sarid?" Asher asked.

"Yes. I'm sorry." She told him again. "I'm sorry that I hurt you. I no excuse to do so, and I shouldn't have done what I did either. I…"

She choked, tears coming to her eyes.

"I want to be friends."

"…Sarid." Asher said, she able to hear the happiness in his voice, which made her happy. "I…I just want to know why, though."

"…That will be explained when the semester starts back."

"O-okay…" He said. "Thank you for calling."

"You're welcome."

"I'll see you at school then?" He asked.

"Yes."

"Great! I-I'll see you then."

"Very well." Sarid said. There was a click and the line died, Sarid hanging up.

"Well?" Hannah asked.

"He thanked me for calling, but he didn't accept my apology." She told them.

"Well, you said what you did over the phone as opposed to in person." Flint told her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Telling someone things in person has a much more profound effect on people."

"Yes sir." Sarid told him. "But now what? How am I supposed to tell him I'm a girl?"

"LEAVE THAT TO US!" Esmeralda said, hugging Sarid with one arm while her other arm pumped up in the air.

"Mr. Flint, can we take her with us?" Sparkle asked.

"Uh…what for?" Flint asked.

"A make-over, what else?" Ada told him.

"Wait, WHAT?!" Sarid asked.

"We'll make sure you look like a girl!" Autumn told her.

"W-what?!" Sarid asked.

"C'mon!" Sparkle said, pulling at Sarid.

"Uh, I don't – Why…?"

"Well, if you and Ash do start to court," Hannah started, "then everyone will know you're a girl and you might as well look the part!"

"…" Sarid blinked, though they pulled her along.

"Wait!" Flint called, they stopping and looking back at him. "Sarid, do you want them to do this?"

"…" She blinked, looking down at the ground. "It…would be an easy way to tell everyone I'm a girl…so…y-yes sir."

"GREAT!" Sparkle cheered, they pulling her to her room. They let her change into some warm clothes, then pulled her out to their carriages. She was pulled aboard one, and it started off, going into town.

The girls discussed what needed to be done, Sarid staring out the window at the passing town, when-

"STOP! STOP THE CARRIAGE!" She yelled.

"What?" Sparkle asked.

"What's wrong?" Esmeralda asked.

Instead of answering, she scrambled out of the carriage, running into the store they had just passed, taking the book from the window and opening it.

It was a first edition of the book _Expedition Manifest,_ complete with original drawings.

She took it to the counter.

"How much for this?" She asked the clerk.

"That'll be fifty gold." He told her, she digging around her bag and putting the money on the counter, to the man's surprise.

"Pleasure doing business with you." She told him, then rushing out of the store and back into the carriage. "Sorry about that, let's go."

They arrived at Esmeralda's mansion, the girls rushing her up the steps, and into the mansion, to a luxury bathroom, even having a barber's chair and sink, all kinds of make-up on the vanity.

Sarid gulped.

* * *

 **AN – Okay, not as much awkwardness as I thought…**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN – There should be awkwardness this chapter.**

* * *

Sarid sat in the carriage, riding to the school with Flint, who sat smiling at her.

Under her outer coat she wore the girl's uniform, a skirt over slacks, her hair hung down and was unevenly cut, so it was a bit shorter in the back and got longer as it went forward, to where the longest point reached her jaw. As well, she had on navy eye shadow and brown mascara, gloss on her lips and blush dusted on her cheeks. She sat stiffly, staring forward.

"Relax, Sarid." Flint told her. "You look lovely."

"…" She gulped, the carriage stopping.

"Before you go in, I want you to open this." He told her, holding out the gift that Asher had tried to give her. She stared at it a moment, then hesitantly took it, unwrapping it.

It was a book, a rare one, on architecture.

She looked over it, her lips barely parting, then opening it, looking over the pages that had all kinds of tips and advice on advanced architecture, from mathematical formulas to designs.

Slowly, she closed it, then hugged it to her.

"…Thank you." She told him. He smiled at her, and she climbed down out of the carriage, going into the school building, taking off her over coat when she entered, then walking down the halls, holding her bag to herself and staring at the floor with great intensity.

"Is that Sarid?" Someone whispered.

"Yeah, that's Sarid."

"Why is he dressed like that?"

"Is he wearing make-up?"

She walked faster, reaching her class, going in.

"Sarid!" Hannah greeted, looking up at her, everyone else doing the same. The boys got looks of confusion, save for Asher, whose eyes went wide.

Sarid felt heat come to her face, and so she went and sat in her seat, staring at the top of it, when a hand smacked down on the top of her desk.

"Well, well, well…" Lance said. "I never took you for a transvestite."

"…I'm not." Sarid told him, not looking up.

"What's the matter?" He asked smugly. "Too scared to look me in the eye?"

Sarid slammed her hands down on her desk and stood, looking Lance right in the eye, making him back away.

"I am a girl, you dense buffoon." She told him. His eyes went wide, his jaw dropping, Drew and Crew having the same reaction.

Reginald burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Xanos asked.

"Lance!" Reginald laughed. "He's been beaten up who knows how many times by a girl!"

The other classmates started laughing, Lance's face flushing red with anger and embarrassment.

"This is your fault!" He told Sarid accusingly.

"How?" She asked calmly.

"If you hadn't of interfered in my business, none of those time would've happened!"

"Then you shouldn't have bullied other people."

"It's your fault!"

"No, Lance. It's _yours."_

He took a large breath through his teeth, then drew back his fist and shot it towards her, she blocking and palm-heeling him in the face, able to feel some kind of crackling on her palm, Lance being thrown back against the wall, blood leaking from his nose, which he took, then letting out a horrible noise of pain.

Pip rushed in, seeing the sight before him.

"What happened?" He asked.

"Lance tried to pick a fight with Sarid!" Danel told him.

"LANCE!" Pip yelled, looking at him, then going over to him and pulling him up, Lance still clutching his bleeding nose. Pip pulled him from the classroom, Drew and Crew following him, everyone else cheering.

"D'you think he'll get expelled?!" Crow asked excitedly.

"I hope so!" Leo told him.

"If he does, party at my place Friday!" Sparkle said. Her classmates cheered, Sarid looking over at them, seeing Asher was staring at her with wide eyes, she looking away, heat coming to her face. She sat down again, people excitedly talking about what to do if Lance was expelled, when Pip came back in.

"Is he expelled?!" Xanos asked.

"I don't know, I just took him to the doctor and told the headmaster what happened." Pip told them.

"Aw…" Everyone went in unison, save for Asher, who was still staring at Sarid.

"Well, anyways, we have new seating arrangements!" Pip told them, to their surprise. "Now then, sitting at this first desk here is Sarid, Leo behind her…"

He listed off the names, everyone sitting where Pip told them to, with three extra seats in the back where Lance, Drew and Crew were to sit. Sarid sat in her seat awkwardly, as Asher sat beside her, also awkwardly.

When history was done, they all began walking toward Merlyn's class, Sarid able to hear Hannah and Asher behind her.

"Why didn't you tell me he was a she?" Asher asked.

"She asked us not to tell anyone." Hannah told him.

"…I…I think all of this makes sense…I'd be upset if she thought I wasn't a boy."

"Ash, that's not why she did what she did."

"What?" He asked.

Sarid hid her face against her bag.

They arrived at Merlyn's class, going in and sitting at their station, both Asher and Sarid doing so awkwardly, occasionally glancing at each other. Class started, and they were doing the lab, trying not to make eye contact.

"Hey, could one of you hand me soil sample three?" Hannah asked.

Sarid reached for it, Asher doing the same, their hands touching.

They both went stiff, freezing.

"…" Sarid felt herself starting to shake, though she couldn't move to bring her hand away, to her misery, until Hannah reached across, pulling Asher's hand away, both of them looking away, heat coming to their faces.

 _Maybe I should go back to private tutoring..._

They didn't speak to each other during lunch, sitting as far away from each other as possible, and they sat awkwardly during the rest of the day. During training they didn't look at each other, instead just running through katas on opposite sides of the gym, while a worried Flint watched.

After training, Asher rushed out, Sarid quickly drying and dressing herself.

"Sarid, have you and Asher spoken at all?" Flint asked.

"No sir." Sarid told him. He sighed, watching her with a worried look.

This continued through the week, when the news reached the entire school.

 _"LANCE IS GONE FOR GOOD!"_ Xanos yelled, running into Pip's classroom.

"REALLY?!" Danel asked, everyone perking up.

"Yeah! He got expelled!" Xanos told him.

The class cheered, throwing papers in the air, Reginald jumping up on his desk and dancing.

"WOOOO!" Leo cheered, people jumping around and dancing, Hannah hugging Asher and he spinning her around. Sarid let out a breath of relief, now that her friends were free of him.

"PARTY AT MY PLACE TONIGHT!" Sparkle yelled, people cheering. Sarid stared down at her desk, when she felt an arm around her then, looking to see Leo having an arm around Asher as well, bent over to do so.

"Are you two coming?" He asked.

Sarid looked at Asher, and he looked at her, their eyes locking and their faces turning red.

"U-uh…" Asher sounded.

"Great!" Leo told them. "I'll see you both there!"

They watched him go, then looked down at their desks.

"Good afternoon~!" Mortimer sang as he walked in. "Isn't today wonderful?"

"HECK YEAH!" Crow yelled.

"Lance is gone!" Danel cheered. "Ya-hoo!"

The day went by, Sarid finishing class and going to training with Asher in complete silence, both of them walking stiffly. They went through training, doing katas like how they had all week, Flint watching with worry. When they finished, Asher grabbed his things and sped walked out, Sarid buttoning up her shirt.

"Sarid, you and Asher need to talk." Flint told her.

Sarid went stiff, freezing.

"…I mean, uh…" Sarid managed to say. "…We have an understanding, and…um…"

She racked her mind for what to say, to no avail.

"…" Flint sighed, putting on his coat. "Well, let's go home."

"Yes sir." Sarid said, following him out. They rode back in silence, arriving home and going in, Sarid going up to her room and changing into new casual clothes, which the girls had gotten for her. She changed into a white turtle neck, with a baby blue dress with a belt over it and jeans, lacing up her combat boots. After doing so, she went down to supper, eating and getting up to go to her room when-

"Sarid?" Flint asked.

"Yes sir?" She asked, looking back.

"Thank you for the kukri knife." He told her. "It's very nice."

"Yes sir, you're welcome." She told him, then going up to her room. She looked at the clock, then got nervous about the idea of going to the party, as she knew Asher would be there.

 _Should I stay here or should I go, or…?_

She fidgeted.

 _Hnnnnnn…_ She whined. _Why did this happen?! Things are just MORE awkward between us! Ugh…I JUST WANT THINGS TO BE NORMAL!_

She fell down on her bed, staring up at the drapery above it.

 _Hng…_

Nevertheless, she ended up going.

She arrived, wearing a new over coat that stretched down to her knees, being navy in color and double-breasted. Going up the stairs, she rang the bell for the door, a maid opening the door.

"Good evening." Sarid told her, presenting her invitation.

"Yes ma'am, please follow me, Miss Sarid." The maid told her, stepping aside to let her in. Sarid stepped in and the maid took her coat for her, then showed her to a sitting room with food and a bowl of punch, her classmates enjoying themselves. Music was playing, some of her classmates dancing.

"Thank you, ma'am." Sarid told the maid, who nodded with a small smile, then went on her way. Looking back at the scene before her, Sarid hugged herself, the bag on her belt heavy.

 _Why did I come?_ She wondered. _I just want to run back to the estate…!_

"Sarid!" Hannah called. She looked, seeing her sitting with Asher.

 _NOPE NOPE NOPE NO ABSOLUTELY NOT, NOPE NOPE NO NO NO._

"C'mon, Sarid!" Sparkle said, appearing behind her. She took Sarid by the elbow and pulled her along, going over to where Hannah and Asher were sitting, each of them on high-backed, two-person sofas, a coffee table between them. Sparkle sat next to Hannah, leaving the only other seat next to Asher, who sat stiffly, looking away. Sarid merely stood.

"Come on, sit down!" Hannah told her.

"I'm fine." Sarid told her. Someone suddenly pushed her, making her stumble. To catch herself, she turned so that she landed in the seat, seeing Reginald dancing away, having a crap-eating grin on his face.

 _REGINALD, I'M GOING TO HURT YOU._ Sarid thought. She started to stand, when Leo came over, standing by the coffee table, leaving her no room to escape.

 _…Did…_

 _DID THEY_ _ **PLAN**_ _THIS?!_

"So, Sarid, how are you doing?" Hannah asked.

"…Fine. You?" Sarid asked.

"Fine, fine…" Hannah said.

Sarid sat stiffly, an uncomfortable silence in the air.

"Say, Asher, where did you find that book for Sarid again?" Hannah asked him. He fidgeted, looking at her with a red face.

"N-nowhere…just happened upon it…"

"That's a lie!" Hannah told him. "You looked everywhere for that book!"

Sarid felt heat rush to her face, looking away.

"W-w-well, uh…" Asher stammered. "I mean, uh, I really did just happen upon it…"

"After quite a bit of looking, it sounds like." Leo said.

"Yeah!" Sparkle agreed. "Wasn't that nice of him, Sarid?"

Sarid's face was red, she too stiff to nod.

"…Y…yes."

Asher's face got a little bit redder.

A slow song came on.

"Wanna dance, Sparkle?" Leo asked.

"Sure!" Sparkle said, getting up and taking his hand as they walked off.

"Why don't you two dance together?" Hannah asked Sarid and Asher.

Sarid felt herself freeze up.

"Uh, well…" Sarid started.

"I, um, don't know the waltz!" Asher told her.

"That's a lie!" Hannah told him. "You told me you asked Sarid to teach you back at the dance!"

Asher's face got redder, Sarid wringing her hands.

"Th-that doesn't mean…that…I'm, you know, good at it!" Asher told her.

"Practice makes perfect!" Hannah told him.

"…Then can I dance with you?" Asher asked.

Sarid relaxed some.

"Nope! I told Reginald I'd save him a dance." Hannah told him, then standing. "So if you'll excuse me…"

She walked off, leaving them alone in the corner.

They sat stiffly, Sarid nervous out of her mind.

 _I could walk away. Should I walk away? Would that be mean? Or…AGH! WHAT DO I DO?!_

"…" They sat in silence, when Sarid remembered her bag.

She reached back and opened it, pulling out the gift that was neatly wrapped with green paper and a golden bow.

She got more nervous the more she stared at it, when she suddenly threw it into Asher's lap and got up, speed walking away. People danced in front of her, blocking her path, she trying to maneuver around them, only for them to move in front of her again, stopping her where she was.

 _Hng…Think of a way out!_

She looked at the wall, then walked back toward the wall opposite the door, then turned and charged, running at an angle toward the wall, up onto it and back onto the floor, bypassing everyone and running out of the room, back to the foyer and found her coat, putting it on as she ran down the front steps, when she felt someone catch her hand.

Looking back, she saw it was Asher.

"…" They stared at each other, both of them stiff. Asher drew his hand back, rubbing the back of his head.

"Uhm…thanks." He told her, not looking at her. She looked away, heat coming to her face.

"It's no trouble…" She told him.

They stood in silence for a short bit.

"…I'll, uh, see you at school…?" Sarid asked.

"Yes! Right, yes…" Asher said. "…Have…have a good weekend!"

"Yes, you too." Sarid told him, then rushing down the rest of the steps and disappearing into the night. She walked halfway back to the estate, the carriage coming along and she climbed into it, riding the rest of the way back. When she arrived, she climbed down out of the carriage and went into the manor, Flint sitting in the foyer chair.

"You left early?" Flint asked.

"…Yes sir." She admitted, Flint getting a worried look.

"Why?" He asked.

"…Asher was there." She muttered.

"Sarid, that's no reason to run." He told her.

"I tried avoiding him, but it was as if everyone there was trying to push us together." Sarid explained.

"…I see." Flint said. "Well, it's cold out, why don't you go up to your room and sit by the fire before going to bed?"

"Yes sir." Sarid nodded, as she was cold. She went up to her room, changing into her pajamas and sitting by the fire, nestled down in the chair. After sometime, she ended up falling asleep, waking up tucked in bed the next morning.

The weekend went by, as did Monday, Sarid, Flint and Asher finishing training, Asher speed walking out and Sarid getting her bag.

"I'll be in a meeting for a bit." Flint told her, she looking at him. "I'll be back to the estate later."

"Yes sir." Sarid said, nodding. She left, going to the carriage and riding back to the estate.

Later…

Sparkle smacked her hand against the chalkboard.

"Okay! Planning for Operation: Get Together is underway!" She said to the room with her classmates minus Asher and Sarid, along with Pip, Mortimer, Merlyn, Flint and Washington. "We are all here because we share a common goal: to see Sarid and Asher become a courting couple!"

"Yeah!" Esmeralda cheered.

"Excellent enthusiasm!" Sparkle told her. "The first plan made by my classmates and I unfortunately failed, since Sarid can apparently run across walls for a short distance! The floor is open to suggestions!"

"We lock them in a room?" Reginald asked.

"Absolutely not." Flint told him.

"Agreed." Washington agreed. "Besides, I'm sure Sarid would just kick down the door and escape."

"She would and can." Flint told him.

"Drat." Reginald remarked.

"What if we set them up for a romantic moonlight stroll?" Danel asked.

"Sarid would book it outta there." Hannah told him.

"She is a fast runner." Flint told her.

"Okay!" Sparkle said, picking up a piece of chalk. "We've identified an obstacle: Sarid running away!"

She wrote it on the board, then looked back at them.

"Any ideas on how to fix this?" She asked.

"…What if we just took away that option?" Leo asked.

"What do you mean?" Merlyn asked.

"There's a new attraction in town called an escape room." Leo told him. "You have to solve puzzles in order to escape it, and the door is reinforced so that you can't just break it down to escape."

"…That could work." Flint said.

"I don't know, Asher's very good at solving puzzles." Washington said. "He'd just solve them quickly then run."

"What if was extremely advanced so it took time for them to escape?" Crow asked.

"Yea!" Ada agreed. "If it was like that, they'd have to spend time together!"

"Hm." Washington hummed. "That's true, but there's no guarantee that they'd actually talk to each other."

"That's a good point." Faye said.

"Th-then w-w-what do w-we do?" Rooster asked.

"…I dunno!" Sparkle said. "Why are they like this?!"

"…What if they didn't know they were with each other?" Pip asked.

"How so?" Merlyn asked.

"There's a restaurant that pairs people up with a wall between them, and then they draw the wall back." Pip explained. "We could get them there somehow…"

"As soon as they see each other, they'd bolt." Xanos pointed out.

"WHY DO THEY HAVE TO MAKE THIS SO HARD?" Sparkle asked. "If they'd just talk to each other or come together on their own, this would be so much easier!"

"Well, I'm still for the escape room plan." Leo said. "They have rooms that require two people to escape so if we put them in one of those, they'd have to communicate."

"That might work." Autumn said.

"Then let's plan for it!" Sparkle cheered.

The week went by until Friday, Sarid getting her things and about to leave English, when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking, she saw Ada, who smiled at her.

"Yes?" Sarid asked.

"I wanted to ask you if you wan'ed to go to a new attraction in town with the res' of us. We're going in groups of two, so I wan'ed to know if you wan'ed to pair up with me." Ada told her.

"What's the attraction?" Sarid asked.

"It's called an escape room." Ada told her. "They lock you in a room and you have to solve puzzles to escape."

"Sounds fun." Sarid told her, smiling some. "What time do I need to be there?"

"About six."

"Very well, I'll see all of you there." Sarid told her.

"Great! See you then!" Ada told her, Sarid nodding and walking out, going to the small gym for training. She arrived and got ready, going to the opposite side of the gym and going through kata, Asher already on the other side going through kata as well. They trained, then left, Sarid going with Flint to the carriage and riding it back, then changed into her casual clothes, going down for supper and ate, then put on her coat and rode into town, to the escape room building and getting out, walking in. She left her coat with the door man, then walked to the desk, where Ada was waiting.

"Hello." Sarid told her.

"Good evening!" Ada said. "Our room's ready if you are!"

"Of course." Sarid told her, a worker approaching them.

"Are you two ready?" He asked.

"Yes sir." They told him.

"Great! Follow me." He told them, he heading over to one of the hallways and going down it, they following him. About halfway down, Ada stopped.

"Hang on, I need to use the loo." Ada told Sarid. "I'll be right there, alright?"

"Understood." Sarid told her, Ada rushing off, Sarid following the worker to the room. He unlocked the door and opened it for her, she stepping in and looking around, seeing Asher looking up from one of the puzzles and right at her.

She whirled around to run, only to have the door close and hear the click of the lock.

 _ **NOOOOOOOOO-**_

She grabbed the doorknob and tried it, to no avail.

Slowly, she turned her head to look at Asher, seeing he was looking at her with wide eyes and a red face. Sarid then took several steps back and charged the door, kicking it, only for nothing to happen.

 _ **NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**_

She kicked it from where she stood, to no avail.

 _…Why?_ She whimpered.

She wrung her hands, slowly turning around again to look at Asher, who had his head in his hands.

"…D…did…they uh…trick you too, or…?"

He nodded.

"H-Hannah…she, uh, said…she would pair up with me." Asher told her.

"…Ada…told me the…the same…"

There was a horribly awkward silence over them, and Sarid looked around for a way out, she saw the ventilation shaft, big enough for her to fit through.

On the ceiling.

 _Okay, if I get a running start, I should be able to jump off the wall and grab onto the edge, then climb out!_

She did so, running and jumping off the wall, grabbing the grate, which came right off, and she dropped it. Doing it again, she grabbed the edge and pulled herself up, climbing up the shaft and into a horizontal one, this one bigger.

 _TO FREEDOM!_

She started crawling, only to immediately hit another grate. Grabbing it, she pulled on it, only to find it was wielded to the shaft.

 _…Hmmm…_ She whined.

She crawled back in defeat, dropping down into the room.

"S-Sarid?" Asher asked, Sarid tensing.

"…It…it was uh, blocked…"

"…Oh." Asher sounded.

They sat for a time, Asher working on the puzzles, while Sarid sat in the corner, staring at her feet with intense eyes.

"…Uhm…" Asher said, his voice cracking. "I…uh…n-need some…help."

She looked up at him, seeing he was staring down at his feet, his hands on two switches.

"…Wh-what do you…you need me to do?"

"There's uh, two more switches here, and uh, I uh…can't switch them at the same time."

"R-right…" She said, getting up and going over to him, the nervousness in her spiking. Stopping beside him, he looked at the switches, Sarid reaching up and touching them.

"Three…t-two…one, now." Asher counted, both of them flipping the switches at the same time, their hands touching.

They froze, heat rushing to their faces.

They heard the door open, Sarid bolting, running out of the room and down the hallway, getting her coat from the front man and grabbing the driver from where he sat, pulling him out onto the street. They got the carriage and rode back to the estate, Sarid bursting into the foyer, seeing Flint sitting in the foyer chair, surprised at her sudden entrance.

"Everything alright?" Flint asked her.

"…I was tricked!" She told him, out of breath.

"Tricked?" He asked.

"I…I went to the escape room with Ada, and – and she told me she was going to go to the bathroom, but then, then when I went in the room Asher was there and I got locked and…I was stuck…"

"Was it the end of the world?"

"…N-no sir…"

"Well, then, what was so bad about it?" He asked her.

"…HNG!" She sounded, putting her face in her hands, surprising Flint. "I just – I don't know! I want to avoid him but I also think about him and want him to hold me, and yet whenever I'm around him I get so panicked I can't even think and…hng…"

"…" Flint smiled some, then got up and put his book aside, going to her.

"Sarid, what you're feeling is normal for a lady in love." Flint told her. "Women react to touch and sound, that's why you want him to hold you."

"…Really?" Sarid asked him.

"Really." He told her.

"…" She stood, thinking.

"Well, it's only a little after seven, so, why don't we go and talk a bit more?" He asked her. She nodded, and they walked to the sitting room, Sarid sitting in one of the chairs next to the fireplace and Flint sitting on the ottoman before it.

"So…what did you want to speak to me about?" Sarid asked.

"Well, there are some things I want you to know." He told her. "First off, don't dress to get attention."

"Sir?" She asked.

"Some women dress themselves inappropriately in order to catch the eye of a man, but that's not a good thing for either party." Flint told her. "Men react to what they see. So, naturally, he'll react to that, and inappropriate thoughts can invade his mind and he can dwell on them, which is wrong. As well, even the men she doesn't want attention from will give it to her, from creeps to elders."

"Ugh." Sarid sounded.

"Exactly." Flint told her. "So, it's good to dress modestly."

"Yes sir." Sarid nodded.

"Good." He said.

"What…what if I have…have bad thoughts?"

"Well, that depends." He told her. "Everyone has tempting thoughts. We're human, it's just part of us. However, dwelling on them is bad. The more you think about them, the more it can affect you. Thoughts become actions, after all."

"Yes sir."

"Have you had bad thoughts?"

"N-no sir, just…wanting to be near him, held…kissed…"

Flint smiled some.

"That's normal for someone who has feelings for someone." He told her. "Though it is good to set and keep physical boundaries."

"How so?"

"Side hugs are okay, as well as holding hands, but what's comfortable for the both of you will define your boundaries." He told her.

"Yes sir."

"Good, good…"

"…Um…"

"Yes?"

"…What…How should I tell him I like him?" She asked.

"Well, there are five love 'languages'." Flint told her. "Physical touch, gifts, acts of service, quality time and words of affirmation. These can be little things that you two do that shows that you can for each other. Little things are important, since anyone can do big things. As for the languages, you can figure them out for each other and do them. Yours seem to be gifts and acts of service."

"…" She thought about it, then nodded. "Yes sir."

"Good, good…" He nodded. "If you have any questions, just come and ask me, alright?"

"Yes sir."

"Good." He told her.

The weekend went by, as did Monday, Sarid, Flint and Asher finishing with training. Sarid was buttoning up her shirt, Asher tying his tie and Flint grabbed his bag.

"I have a meeting to go to." He told them. "I'll be home later today, Sarid."

"Yes sir." Sarid told him. He left then, Sarid feeling nervousness creep into her.

"…" She and Asher stood in silence, Asher putting his coat on, buttoning it up and Sarid tying on her tie.

"…So, uh…Friday was…something." Asher said.

"Y-yes, yes it was…" Sarid agreed.

"…"

"…"

"…WELL, SEE YA!" Asher said, grabbing his bag and speed walking out. As soon as he exited the gym, he smacked his hand to his forehead. _WHY DID I SAY THAT SO LOUD?! She probably thinks I was glad to leave! Oh man, she's gonna hate me…_

He walked through the hallway, looking out the window, seeing Sarid exit the gym out into the snow, her hair shining in the winter sun. Stopping, he watched her, she walking along, then stopping and looking down at the snow. She stood for a bit, then pulled her bag onto her back and squatted down, scooping up some snow and making it into a sphere. She then dropped it down into the snow, rolling it along so that it grew bigger.

Shifting nervously, he adjusted his bag under his arm, then walked back down the hallway. He came to a door and pushed it open into the cold air, his breath a swirling white puff before him. The snow crunched under him as he walked over toward Sarid, Asher putting his bag onto his back. She heard him approaching and looked back and saw him, she stiffening. He noticed her cheeks were rosy from the cold air, making it look like she was blushing.

 _Pretty…_ He thought.

"Hello." Sarid told him, the large snowball at her feet. "Is…is there something you need, or…?"

"…Uh, I uh…th-the snow, um…I…wanted to help you…"

"…" She looked away, blushing. "Thank you."

He blushed, then shuffled back and forth some.

"…So…what are you, uh, making?" Asher asked.

"A snowman." Sarid told him.

"Oh…" Asher sounded. They stood in silence for a moment, Asher then walking over, both of their nervousness spiking as he got closer. He pushed it with his hands, rolling it along until it got to a good size, Sarid having started on the next snowball for it. They finished their respective snowballs, and they picked up the smaller one Sarid had made, putting it on top of the larger one.

"I'll go find some sticks for the limbs." Sarid told him, going to search under the trees. Asher made another, even smaller snowball and put it on top of the other two, making a three-layered snowman. Sarid returned with the limbs, as well as some pebbles. She handed one of the limbs to Asher, and he stuck it into the snow man, Sarid putting the other one in, then using the pebbles to make a face. They put in the eyes, then started to make a smile, their cold hands touching.

They froze, their hands still touching, when after a moment Asher took her hand in both of his and rubbed it between his hands to warm it. Sarid stood there, blushing, looking at their hands, then looked up at him, and he looked at her, they making eye contact.

They stared at each other, Sarid looking away. Asher lowered her hand and he looked down at them, blushing. After a moment he let her hand go, and they stood a moment longer.

"…I'll see you later." Sarid told him.

"Y-yeah…" Asher said, Sarid turning and walking to the carriage, getting into it. She rode back to the estate, staring out the window deep in thought.

Meanwhile…

"Okay, Operation Escape was a bust, but we just need to try again!" Sparkle said, standing before the assembly of classmates and teachers.

"What if we did Pip's restaurant idea?" Hannah asked.

"I don't know, that'd be easy for her to run away from." Pip said, feeling his beard.

"Hm…" She hummed.

The door opened and Flint walked in, closing the door behind him.

"What took you so long, old timer?" Washington asked.

"I don't think we need to try so hard to get them together." Flint told them.

"Huh?" Everyone sounded.

"I just watched them build a snowman together." He explained. "They were awkward and nervous, yes, but they did it without us trying to interject. They may very well come together on their own if we just give them time to do so."

"…" Everyone watched him.

"Just a thought." Flint told them, shrugging.

"Then…what should we do?" Sparkle asked. "I mean, we wanna help them…"

"Well, we don't absolutely need to." Flint told her. "Us trying might hinder their progress."

"True…" Sparkle admitted.

"…" They sat in silence, when Ada's face lit up.

"I've got it!" She said. "But we need to wait until spring to do it."

The rest of the day passed, and the next morning, Sarid and Flint arrived at the school. When they got out of the carriage, Sarid looked over at the snowman she and Asher had made, seeing that there was a second one. Curious, she went over to it and looked at them, heat coming to her face.

Their heads were turned toward each other, smiling happily, and the branches used for their arms were downward and touching, as if they held hands.

She put her face in her hands, Flint walking over and seeing the snowmen. He smiled fondly at them, then gave Sarid a pat on the shoulder.

"It's nothing to get flustered over." He told her.

She nodded, lifting her head and lowering her hands to show that she was still blushing, though this just made Flint smile more. They walked in and then parted ways, Sarid going to Pip's class.

* * *

 **AN – I don't know what to write next, so I'll end it here for now.**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN – AND WE'RE BACK.**

* * *

Sarid entered the manor, panting from her morning run. Her cheeks were rosy from the cold air, despite the fact that spring was nearing and snow was starting to melt. She took off her scarf and went up to her room, drying herself with a towel then dressed for school, going down for breakfast. Flint sat at the head of the table, reading the morning newspaper, looking up as she entered.

"Ah, good morning, Sarid." He told her. "Have a good run?"

"Yes sir." She told him.

"Good, good…" He said as she sat next to him.

"…Commander?" She asked.

"Yes?"

"…I…" She fidgeted, blushing. "I was thinking while I was out on my run…"

"What about?" He asked.

"…A-Asher…"

"Oh." He sounded, setting his paper aside. "Why is that?"

"…I…I keep thinking about…about how people want us to court." Sarid told him. "And…I…I admit, I like the idea, Asher's a good fellow and we've been able to get along and be friends but…I…"

She put her head in her hands.

"…Sarid?" Flint asked.

"…" She lowered her hands, her face red. "I…I don't know what to do."

"Well, what do you need to do and what do you want to do?" Flint asked her.

"…I…I don't know what I _need_ to do, I…well, I suppose I need to keep my relationship with Asher a positive one, but…I want to run away from him but at the same time, I…I want…"

She fidgeted again.

"…I…I want…t-to court…him…"

Flint smiled fondly.

"That's nothing to be upset or ashamed about, Sarid." Flint told her. "Wanting to court someone is a part of almost everyone's life, and the fact that you're nervous means that it's important to you."

"Really?" Sarid asked.

"Of course." He told her. "Granted there's no reason to be nervous. The world will keep going on no matter what happens to humans, and Asher's not a bad man. He'll be kind, so don't worry."

"…Then…wh-what do I do?" She asked.

"Well, I will say that men don't like women who chase after them. It makes most of them uncomfortable." He told her. "For now, keep on being friendly with him, and when you feel that you're ready ask him if he'd like to go on a date, or if he asks you and you're ready tell him you'd like that."

"…" She nodded. "Yes sir."

"Good." He told her, smiling.

They finished breakfast, then went onto the school, the day passing as normal along with the week. The snow finished melting, spring on its way.

"Roller skating?" Sarid asked, standing with her classmates.

"Yeah!" Ada told her. "A new rink just opened up near here!"

"I've been roller skating before!" Sparkle said. "It's really fun!"

"…Is it like ice skating?" Sarid asked.

"Kinda." Sparkle told her.

"…"

Sarid had flashbacks then, from when she was ice skating a few years ago, how she could barely keep herself from falling.

"I…I'll pass." Sarid told them.

"But it'll be fun!" Reginald told her.

"Yeah!" Xanos agreed.

"Please Sarid?" Crow asked.

"…" Sarid blinked.

"…I'll go, but I can tell you I won't be roller skating." She told them.

"Yay!" They all exclaimed.

Friday came and Sarid rode into town, the carriage stopping outside the rink. She climbed down out of the carriage and went through the door, taking off her coat and leaving it with the front man. Walking further in, she saw her friends and walked over to them, they clearing a spot for her.

Next to Asher.

 _…Of course._ She thought, then sitting down. Asher looked away, blushing, and she felt herself do the same, looking down at the ground beside her. She noticed then that Sparrow already had on his roller skates.

"…So all of you have your roller skates?" Sarid asked.

"Yep!" Autumn told her. "Sure you don't wanna try it out?"

"Oh no, I've been ice skating before and was terrible at it." She told them.

"Maybe this will different?" Xanos asked.

"Why would it?" Sarid asked.

"Well, you've stopped growing." Hannah told her. "When you're growing your balance is worse, but when you stop it improves."

"…" Sarid blinked, realizing that what she said made sense. "…We'll see."

"Yay!" They exclaimed.

Music started playing, everyone getting up. They skated over to the edge of the carpeted area and then stepped down onto the wooden floors, skating away into the flow. Sarid sat and watched them, then looked down at the top of the table.

 _…Well, what's the point of coming if I just sit here?_ She wondered. _But then…ugh, I'm no good at this, but then there's what Hannah said…But then I'm not used to having WHEELS on my feet, I'd be falling every which way, even into people…_

It went through her mind, falling into someone and causing a domino effect that caused more people to fall.

 _Unless they caught me, then-_

She froze then, thinking of Asher being the one to catch her.

She was then at the counter waiting for a pair of skates her size.

"Her you are, ma'am!" The clerk said, setting a pair of blue and white skates on the counter.

"Thank you." Sarid told him, putting her combat boots on the table, then taking the skates and going to the table they had been sitting at, sitting down and putting them on, lacing them up.

 _Okay…I can do this!_

She stood, able to keep her balance.

 _So far so good._

She took a step, and everything went horribly wrong. Her arms flailed about trying to her balance, and she almost fell, though she managed to regain her balance.

 _…Now what?_

"Uh…Sarid?"

She looked, seeing Asher standing there, wringing his hands.

"…D…Do you, uh, want…help…?"

"Yes please, thank you." She told him, he skating over to her.

"You gotta move your feet like this, see?" He told her, then pushing off of one foot, the other remaining on the ground so that he was pushed forward.

"Ah." Sarid sounded. She tried it, faltering some, though she managed.

"When you wanna stop, just push your toes to the ground and the brakes will stop you." He told her. She nodded, then pushed off, able to keep herself up, then used the brake, which stopped her faster than she expected it to, causing her to stumble. Asher caught her in his arms, making both of them blush, Sarid involuntarily smiling.

"You okay?" Asher asked.

"Yes…" She told him, straightening and looking him in the eye. They stood looking at each other, Asher then looking away as his blush deepened.

"Uh, it's, uh…easier on carpet, if you wanna…start here." He told her, then looking back at her. She smiled and nodded, he gazing at her.

 _Pretty…_ He thought.

They skated around on the carpeted area, oblivious to the fact that they were holding hands. After a time, Sarid got used to the carpet, and they went over to the hardwood floor, Asher stepping down onto it, followed by Sarid, whose skate slid out from under her. Asher caught her again and stood her up, Sarid holding tight to his arm.

"You okay?" He asked quietly.

"Yes…" She whispered.

They stood for a moment, then went back to holding hands, Sarid faltering some on the floor, though Asher kept her up. They skated with the flow of the crowd, going at their own pace.

"Psst!" The DJ looked down to see Leo and Danel standing there.

"Could you play a slow, couple's song?" Danel asked.

"Sure!" The DJ told them, picking up and spinning a record, then putting it on. He put the needle onto it, and a soft song began to play.

Sarid and Asher stopped when they heard the music playing, looking around to see people pairing up. They then looked at each other, making eye contact, which made them then look away quickly. After a moment, Sarid took a breath, then looked back at Asher, when Flint's voice came to mind.

 _"Men don't like women who chase after them. It makes most of them uncomfortable."_

She swallowed, looking away again.

 _How do I do this?_ She wondered. Asher then skated in front of her, she looking up at him, and he took her other hand, placing her hands on the back of his neck, both of them blushing.

"…Uh…" He sounded, holding out his arms awkwardly, Sarid pushing herself forward so that she skated into them, resting her head on his chest and closed her eyes. Asher had a massive blush, though he hesitantly wrapped his arms around her, hugging her.

They stood for what felt like a long time, Sarid at ease and inhaling Asher's scent of old books and clean clothes, while Asher inhaled her scent of hard work and faint green apples.

Sarid lifted her head and looked up at him, he looking down at her. They stared each other in the eye, Sarid then stepping back, her hands sliding down Asher's arms and to his hands, which she took, then smiled at him, his blush darkening. She skated to the side, and he did the same, the opposite direction, and they spun in a slow circle.

When the song ended, they skated back over to the carpeted area along with their friends, all of them turning in their skates for their shoes, then heading outside.

"That was great!" Esmeralda cheered.

"Yeah!" Sparkle agreed.

"I just wish the skates had been more colorful." Danel said, Reginald rolling his eyes.

"I saw that!" Hannah scolded.

"Ooo, she's onto you!" Xanos said, everyone laughing.

Sarid and Asher smiled at their classmates, still unconsciously holding hands.

"Well, see you guys on Monday!" Crow told them, he and his brothers walking toward their carriage.

"See ya!" Sparkle chirped, everyone walking toward their carriages, save for Asher, who walked with Sarid to hers, he opening the door for her and holding her hand as she went up the steps.

"Thank you." She told him, looking at him and smiling. He blushed, then looked down. After a moment, he looked back up at her hand, bringing it to his lips and kissed it.

Sarid felt her heart skip a beat and heat rush to her face.

He lifted his head and looked up at her, showing that he was blushing as well.

"…" They stared at each other.

"…W-well, I'll uh…see you at school!" Asher told her, then rushing off. Sarid sat back in the carriage, holding her hand.

 _HE KISSED MY HAND. OH DEAR GOODNESS HE KISSED MY HAND._

Meanwhile…

"WHY DID I DO THAT?!" Asher asked aloud, face in his hands.

"Ash, relax." Hannah told him.

"What if she didn't want me to do that?!" He asked, looking up at her. "What if I was being too forward?!"

"You weren't, you just showed you had interest in her by kissing her hand." Hannah told him.

"…Hnnng." Asher whined, putting his head to his knees.

Back with Sarid…

Opening the front door to the manor, Sarid was still in a daze.

"Ah, Sarid." Flint said, setting his book aside. "Did…what's wrong?"

"…Uhm…" She sounded, gripping her hand and looking down, heat coming to her face.

"Saird?" Flint asked, getting up and going to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, he surprised at her expression.

She stared intensely at nothing, her lips pressed together and blushing.

"…Ah…Asher…he uh…my hand…"

Flint looked at the hand she was gripping.

"…Oh!" Flint exclaimed with realization. "…He kissed it?"

Sarid nodded.

Flint smiled fondly at her, then hugged her.

"…What do I do?" Sarid asked.

"Well, you like him back." Flint said, stepping back. "Try to find a way to express that to him."

"…How do I do that?" Sarid asked.

"Love languages, remember?" Flint asked. "Find out his love language and go from there."

"…He really likes being gifted books…" Sarid said.

"Go from there, then."

Monday came, Sarid going into Pip's class, holding a book to herself. She looked around for Asher, then jumped when she saw him standing next to her, which he noticed, making him tense.

"S-sorry!" He told her. "I just uh…" He rubbed the back of his neck, looking down at the ground.

"…" Sarid stared at him intently, then held out the book to him, looking down at the ground. Asher looked at it, surprised, then took it.

" _Encyclopedia of Alchemy_." He read aloud. "Uhm…what's the occasion?"

"N-nothing, I uh…just…wanted to get you a gift…" Sarid told him. "I-if you don't like it, I can take it back, or…"

"N-no, I like it." Asher told her with a shy smile and bashful blush, causing her to blush in turn. "H-Hannah and uncle want me to expand my horizons after all…"

"Right, right…" Sarid said, both of them looking each other in the eye. Asher looked down at his feet and she did the same, when the bell rang. They went to their seats, Pip walking in with a cheery smile.

The day went by as normal, up until the end of training.

"Well, we'll see you tomorrow then?" Flint asked Asher, who nodded. "Excellent!"

Sarid finished buttoning her vest, picking up her bag and then looked at Asher, making eye contact with him.

They both blushed some, looking down at their feet. Flint smiled fondly.

 _Ah, young love…_

"I'll be in the carriage." He told Sarid, walking toward the door. She rushed over to catch up to him, Flint opening the door for her and the stepped out into the spring sunlight, the trees blossoming beautifully. They were halfway down the walkway when they heard rapid footsteps, turning around to see Asher rushing toward them. He stopped a few feet away, a massive blush on his face.

"…C-could I…ask you something Sarid?" He asked.

"Of course." She told him, turning to him.

"…P-privately?" He stammered.

"I'll be in the carriage." Flint said, patting Sarid on the shoulder then going to the carriage and climbing in. Sarid looked back at Asher to see him staring intently at her, she looking down at her feet, heat coming to her face.

"…S-Sarid…" Asher said, she looking up at him.

"…"

"…"

He took a deep breath.

"…I…w-would…"

He took another deep breath.

"Will you go out with me?!" He asked, then clapping his hands over his mouth.

Sarid let out a small, almost inaudible gasp, blushing and her eyes going wide.

"…" Asher blinked, then hung his head, lowering his hands. "I-I didn't mean to yell it, I just…"

"…I…"

He looked up at her, showing his face was red.

"…"

Sarid smiled softly.

"I would like that very much." She told him.

He stared at her with wonder.

 _Pretty…_ He thought, then realizing what she had said. A huge smile spread across his face, his eyes lighting up in a way that Sarid found charming.

"Great!" He told her. "I-I'll have something set up this Friday!"

Sarid smiled more, Asher stepping back.

"I-I'll see you tomorrow!"

"See you then!" Sarid called, Asher running into the building, Sarid going to the carriage.

"I take you two are going on a date?" Flint asked her after she shut the carriage door. His question made her blush, down out the window, though she smiled softly and nodded. He smiled softly at her, happy.

Later…

"UNCLE!" Asher yelled, running to the manor, a happy Hannah walking after him, closing the door he had thrown open. Meanwhile Asher ran to Washington's study, throwing the door open, surprising Washington.

"What is it, my boy?" He asked.

"SHE SAID YES." Asher told him.

"That's wonderful!" He told him, getting up and rushing around the desk, hugging Asher.

"Yes sir!" Asher agreed. "I just…need to come up with something for Friday night…"

"Believe me, your classmates will be more than happy to help you." Washington told him, Asher looking at him and blinking dumbly.

"Huh?"

The week went by, Hannah and the classmates assuring him they would plan everything. After school they worked, making decorative lanterns and other decorations, looking through vinyl records and looking for an older, more elegant record player. Pip helped them, embordering a lovely tablecloth, Mortimer acquired the record player – two of them, actually – and Merlyn worked with Leo and Danel, mixing colors.

Finally, Friday came, both Sarid and Asher nervous, though their classmates were barely able to contain their giddiness. After school was other, they were both rushed to their manors to get ready. They bathed and were finely dressed, Sarid in a sleeveless bright blue dress with a white fur shawl and black dress sandals, Asher in a dark green tail coat, black pants with a green stripe down the side, shined black shoes, a light green vest and bowtie.

Sarid sat before the mirror in her bathroom, one of the maids brushing her hair and Mrs. Lee going through a box.

"Now let's see…" She said. "It's got to go with your natural scent…"

"What does?" Sarid asked her, when she held up a bottle with a sprayer.

"A perfume!" She told her with a smile, Sarid surprised.

"I-I've…never worn perfume…" She told her.

"No time like the present to start something!" Mrs. Lee told her, continuing to go through the bottles.

 _Why does she have so many?_ Sarid wondered.

"Here we are!" She said, holding up a bottle. It was dark red, shapes almost like an apple. She took Sarid's wrist, and sprayed a bit onto it, then sniffed it.

"Oh yea!" She said, then taking her other wrist and spraying the perfume onto it. She undid the sprayer and dabbed some onto her hand, then rubbed it onto Sarid's collarbones and behind her ears. The maid finished brushing her hair and stepped back, Mrs. Lee putting the perfume away, then took out a box.

"These are a gift from the commander." She told Sarid, who took the box. She opened it, and her eyes went wide.

Nestled in velvet, was a gorgeous jewelry set.

They were platinum, with diamonds and sapphires.

She picked up one of the hair clips, looking at it with wonder, then put it up to right above her ear and used it to clip her hair back. She did the same with other one, Mrs. Lee helping her with the necklace, Sarid clipping on the earrings – they were clips on ones – and she put on the bracelet, along with the ring that came with it.

"Oh, you look lovely, Miss Sarid!" Mrs. Lee told her as she stood. She stared at herself in the mirror, the mascara and eyeshadow, the gloss on her lips and her clothes, the dress that fell right above her knees and the fur shawl that wrapped around her arms, the jewelry that glittered on her…

 _…I…This is me._

She smiled at herself.

"Come on, come on!" Mrs. Lee told her. "The carriage is waiting!"

She hurried her along, out of her room and then escorted her down to the foyer, Mr. Lee opening the door for them. Sarid went down the front steps and to the carriage, Flint standing beside it, smiling fondly at her as she approached.

"You look beautiful Sarid." He told her, she smiling.

"Thank you, commander." She told him. He smiled more, then held out his arms, and she hugged him. He held her for a moment, then they separated, Flint kissing her forehead.

"Have a good time, Sarid."

"Yes sir." Sarid told him. She climbed up into the carriage, Flint closing the door to it, and the carriage started along. She looked out the window at the setting sun as the carriage went along, soon coming to starry heights where Asher lived.

She begun to wring her hands.

They came to the manor and there was a path off to the side of it, lined with candles. She looked out the window as the carriage went down the path, Soon coming to a stop.

She sat for moment, then took a deep breath.

"Miss Sarid?" The driver asked.

"Oh, uh, yes?"

"We're here."

"…Right. Thank you." Sarid said. She took a deep breath, then opened the door, stepping out of the carriage.

Before her was a clearing, with a table that had a white, beautifully embroidered table cloth, polished silverware atop it, plates having food covers on them. Lanterns hung from the tree branches, made to look like colorful flowers, soft light coming from them. Over to the side, near a pathway, was an elegant record player, playing soft music. Standing next to the table was Asher, well dressed with a white corsage pined to his lapel and his hair combed. His stance was ridged, his nervousness obvious.

Despite this, she found him quite handsome.

Heat came to her face and she descended the carriage steps, then walked toward the table, Asher watching her as she approached. She stopped, standing by the chair on one side of the table, Asher standing beside the other.

"…" He swallowed, color coming to his face. "Y…you uh…p-pretty. I mean, you look pretty!"

He wrung his hands, shuffling his feet back and forth, Sarid surprised at his words. She looked away, down at the table, smiling softly as a light blush colored her cheeks.

"Thank you." Sarid told him.

He looked at her with wonder, wanting to hug her.

She looked up at him and he stiffened.

"You look very handsome." She told him. He blinked, then smiled softly.

"Thank you." He told her.

They stood looking at each other for a moment, when Asher wrung his hands again.

"So…shall we sit?" He asked.

"Yes." Sarid said, turning to her chair when Asher rushed around the table, pulling it out for her. She smiled at him. "Thank you."

He smiled bashfully, and she sat, Asher pushing her chair under for her, and then he went around the table and sat, pulling his chair under. They sat for a moment, looking at each other, when Sarid looked down, wring her hands, though she was still smiling.

"So…shall we eat?" Asher asked.

"Yes." Sarid told him, both of them taking the food covers off of their plates. One them were fillet steaks with cooked asparagus. They began to eat, racking their minds for conversation topics.

"What do you think of the book I got you?" Sarid asked.

"It's really good!" Asher told her. "It goes really in-depth with it's descriptions and where to find the ingredients."

"That's good." Sarid told him with a smile.

"And uh, you?" Asher asked. "I mean, um…"

"…The book you got me for Yuletide." Sarid said, stopping her knife.

"…Y-yeah."

"…" Sarid looked up at him. "Asher, you have my deepest apologies for what I did then. I…I didn't know what to do at the time, I…"

She looked down.

"When I realized I had feelings for you, I didn't want them. So I panicked. I thought that if we stopped spending time together, they would go away."

She looked back up at him.

"What I did was wrong and selfish. I'm sorry."

"..." Asher smiled at her. "You're forgiven."

Sarid smiled back, releasing a breath she didn't realize she was holding in.

"…Thank you." She told him. He smiled softly at her, making her blush and look back down at her plate.

"…So did you like it?" Asher asked.

"Yes." She said softly. Asher smiled more, then looked down at his plate.

They finished eating, Asher then standing and going around the table to her. She looked up at him, and he stood looking down at her, his face getting red. He then took a deep breath, and exhaled.

He bowed some, stepping back and extending his hand.

"Would you like to dance?" He asked.

"…" Sarid smiled, standing and taking his hand. "I would love to."

He stood, smiling at her and taking her hand, putting it in his elbow and they walked along, going down the pathway, which was also lit by the flower lanterns. After a bit of walking, they came to a large clearing with a large pond that had a small island in it. There was another record player, also playing soft music, a bridge going across to the island, and more of the flower lanterns hanging about, some floating in the water. Asher led her across the bridge to the island, they stopping in the middle and her turned to look at her.

They looked each other in the eye, then looked away, blushing.

"…S-so, uh…" Asher wrung his hands, Sarid then smiling and taking them, putting one on her hip and holding up the other one to should height. She smiled at him, and he smiled shyly.

They began to slowly dance, lightly moving their feet and looking each other in the eye. After a bit they began to smile, moving closer and closer to each other until Sarid put her head on Asher's chest. He blushed, though held her closer, inhaling her sweet scent of fruit and flowers.

The music faded, and they slowly came to a stop, still close to each other.

Sarid looked up at Asher and he looked down at her. After a moment, he reached up and took her head in his hands, putting his forehead to hers.

They stood with their eyes closed, breathing each other's air.

When they opened their eyes, Asher stood, dressed as a groom and Sarid in a beautiful wedding dress, a bouquet of roses in her hand. Flower petals showered them, their friends, now grown, cheering and clapping. They smiled at each other, then took each other arm-in-arm and walked down the aisle, their friends following. The ceremony after was beautiful, with food and cake, love and laughter. After it, they were followed by their friends to a carriage, Flint and Washington standing beside it. They opened the door and let down the steps for them, Asher holding Sarid's hand as she boarded the carriage, Asher climbing up into it behind her.

They waved to their friends, relatives and old teachers now friends, as the carriage started and they went off to their honeymoon, and a long happy life together.

* * *

 **AN – Well, here we are. Le end. I had fun writing this! It was great getting to write more awkwardness between Sarid and Asher. Some of you might be going "Aw, no kiss?!" Hey, it was their first date. You need to know someone better before you go kissin' 'em. But seriously. Why wasn't high school this fun. Oh well. Hope you guys enjoyed!**


	9. Bonus

**AN – What's this…? A BONUS CHAPTER?!**

 **;D**

* * *

Sarid and Asher arrived at the beach house, it beautifully made. The sunset painted a gorgeous array of warm colors on the horizon, which stretched to the cool sky overhead. They stepped down from the carriage, Asher holding Sarid's hand as they did so.

"Well, here we are." Asher said, both of them looking up at the beach house.

"Yes." Sarid said.

"…So, uh…I'm…supposed to carry you across the threshold…" He told her.

"Very well." She said, putting a hand on his shoulder. He picked her up and carried her up the steps of the beach house, across the porch and managed to get the door open. He stepped in and went to the stairs, going up them and finding the bedroom, stepping in.

"You've certainly gotten strong." She told him as he set her down.

"I uh, might have especially worked out for this." He told her. She smiled, laughing some. He smiled as well, heat coming to his face. "I'll go get our bags."

"Thank you." She told him, he leaving the bedroom, she able to hear him going down the stairs. She looked around the room, which was well furnished, and went and sat on the sofa. Looking down at her hands, she looked at her wedding ring, platinum and right above her engagement ring, also platinum with a beautiful array of sapphires.

 _…EEEEE I'M MARRIED!_ She mentally squealed, grinning widely and putting her face in her hands. _Oh, the wedding was so wonderful! Asher looked so handsome and the way he looked at me when the Commander was walking me down the aisle…like his breath had been taken away…_

She blushed, holding her hands to her chest.

 _I'm so happy…_

"I'm back!" Asher announced, coming back into the room with their bags, which he set beside the door. She looked over at him, he seeing the smile on her face. He smiled back, going over to her and sitting beside her.

"Whatcha thinking about?" He asked.

"…I'm just happy." She told him. He smiled.

"I'm happy too."

They smiled softly at each other, leaning towards each other and kissing softly. After a moment they drew away, slowly opening their eyes. They were both blushing, Sarid smiling and hugging Asher, cuddling up to him. He cuddled her back, and they sat nuzzling each other for a time. After that, they sat, Asher holding her.

"…What time is it?" Sarid asked, Asher looking at the clock.

"About nine." He told her.

"Thank you." She told him, sitting up. "Time for bed."

"Yep." He agreed, standing.

Their eyes saw the single, two-person bed, and they remembered what they had been told what was done on the wedding night.

They both went red in the face.

"…Uh…So…" Asher fidgeted, looking away from Sarid. "…You know we had a light supper, maybe we should uh, have…a snack?"

"Yes, excellent idea." Sarid told him, they both going down to the kitchen. They raided the cabinets, Asher making a tasty snack that they enjoyed. After that they sat.

"…So…uh…" Sarid started, "…it's lovely out, with the moon, we could go for a walk?"

"Yes! Let's." Asher agreed, they getting up and going out. They walked along in silence, walking a distance then going back, going back into the house. It was almost ten thirty.

They sat in the living room, very awkwardly.

"…So…you…wanna go…upstairs…?" Asher asked.

"…Okay." Sarid said. They went upstairs, sitting on the sofa there.

"…"

They sat in silence.

For quite a time, the clock hands passing eleven.

"…Uh, I can sleep on the sofa…" Asher offered.

"Oh, no, I'll sleep on the sofa." Sarid told him. "I'm shorter, so it'd be more comfortable for me."

"Uh, good point." Asher said, then fidgeting.

Yet the still sat.

 _Why is this so awkward?_ Sarid wondered. _I just…WHY. Maybe we're just being silly? I mean, we're married, there's nothing wrong with…doing THAT now…Hng…AGH JUST DO IT AND GET IT OUT OF THE WAY!_

 _…Now how do I do this?_

Advice and tips from her friends came to mind, though all this managed to do was make her blush.

 _JUST…HNG, JUST GET IT OVER WITH._

Sarid turned to Asher with a serious look, he noticing this.

"…S-Sarid?" He stammered. She moved closer to him, he blushing and backing away, though she kept moving toward him, until he was forced to stop due to the sofa's arm rest. He gulped as she closed in, his eyes getting wide.

She kissed him softly, though he remained still until she deepened the kiss, he relaxing some. Sarid partly drew away, then kissed him again, wrapping her arms around his neck. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her, his hand running up her back. Sarid began to draw away when Asher leaned his head forward to keep their lips together. She barely opened her eyes, then quickly moved down to his neck, kissing him there. His face was red and breathing irregular, when Sarid went up and nipped his ear. He let out a light gasp, Sarid able to feel his excitement.

"You're quite excited." She whispered in his ear.

He racked his mind, remembering what his uncle had told him.

"Y…you're very exciting." He told her. She looked at him, her eyes half-lidded and smiling to show her teeth, brows raised. He gulped again, Sarid kissing him again. He hugged her tighter and tugged at her shirt.

Later…

The lights were out, moonlight coming through the window, Sarid and Asher lying on their backs, staring up at the bed drapery and panting.

"…Saird?" Asher asked.

"Yes?" Sarid asked.

"…They were right." Asher told her. "That was worth the wait."

"Agreed." Sarid said.


End file.
